Of The Many Paths, Mine Led To You
by neojedigoddess
Summary: When Team Free-Will is rescued by a mysterious Lakota hunter who has a past with Castiel, they have no idea that they've stumbled upon a massive conspiracy to annihilate all angels. Together they must work to try and unite the still fractured community of remaining angels before it's too late and the coalition of humans, demons and monsters manage to destroy them all. Dean/Ofc
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** _. Please comment if you like this story...I have ideas that could potentially make this almost a season long if it was filmed._

 _Just to note, this takes place a few months after Chuck and Amara reconcile. Mary Winchester wasn't brought back and there is no British Men of Letters to worry about. Chuck restored the angels their abilities to fly/teleport before he and Amara took off. Also, Three Meadows is a made up reservation and my knowledge of the Lakota language is pretty much based on google, so I apologize for that and any cultural mistakes I make._

 **Dean POV**

"You know, Sammy, I'm getting really sick of getting tied up in dank old basements. It's the fucking desert, why is it so damp in here?" Dean growled, tugging with no result at the restrains that held him to the support opposite his brother. He knew they shouldn't have gone into Arizona of all places. These assholes had even gotten the drop on Cass and the angel was knocked out or worse in a friggin' converted dog cage in the corner. A dog cage! He hadn't said anything or moved but Dean couldn't see him to get an idea of his condition. Then they'd cheated and used some kind of mojo to take both him and Sam out pretty quick.

Though they still managed to get a few good shots in.

Probably why he got thrown down the stairs instead of led down. Dicks.

"I know Dean, me too." His brother looked around and sighed. "I think the damp is from whatever they've been growing in here. Ingredients for spells. I didn't recognize half of what we saw upstairs."

"Me either." He sighed and thumped the back of his head against the support. "This sucks."

"Wait, did you hear that?"

He looked to Sam and listened and heard what sounded like yelling and crashing. The hair on the back of his neck was standing up, they were using magic to fight again. Was someone coming to rescue them? Who the hell did they know around here that could give a decent fight against dicks like these? He knew it wasn't Crowley or Rowena, though they had been mentioned by the guys who'd tied them up. He doubted it was any angels considering Cass wasn't exactly well liked by his "brothers" and the angels liked the Winchesters even less. Nevermind the fact that the last most of them had seen Cass' vessel, it'd had Lucifer in it. Maybe it was Chuck and Amara? It'd been a couple months since that whole thing, could they be back? Why would they be bothering with an actual fight though?

Or was it someone worse looking to get to the brothers? Wouldn't be a first.

"Who do you think it is?" Sam strained against his restraints, trying to look around at the door. "Does anyone even know we're here?"

"Who the hell would we tell Sam? Everyone's either dead or hates us."

"Well that's being positive."

Just then, the door didn't so much as open as it was slammed across the basement by a body that had been thrown against it. That body then tumbled quickly down the stairs and land on the door that had come to rest on the ground. Dean smirked. It'd been the dick that slugged him before going back upstairs. Now, he looked beat to hell and close to dead. Good. Only thing that would've been better is if he'd gotten to do it himself.

He looked up at the doorway and was confused by who he saw. With the amount of force it would've taken to slam a full grown man into a heavy door hard enough to take it off it's hinges like that, he'd have expected someone big or built. Or someone with glowing blue or black eyes. Instead, it was a woman, an Indian from the look of her black hair and tan skin. She almost looked like a college student if one ignored the gore covered knife in one hand and the smear of blood on one cheek.

He looked to Sammy who looked just as confused, straining from where he was tied up to see what was going on. Who was this chick?

She was making her way down the stairs when the guy tried to get back up, hand to his side in pain, face in a grimace of hatred. He started saying something about the blood of the righteous in Latin, no doubt a nasty spell when the mystery woman interrupted him with a backhanded fist that made both brothers wince before she went right between his ribs with her knife. "Righteous this, asshole." She grunted with a twist of the knife before pulling it out and letting his body drop at her feet.

Dean was intrigued and a little turned on.

"Hi there. Sorry I'm late. I didn't get my invitation to the party." She flashed them a grin before grabbing a random dirty rag off a workbench and wiping off her knife. "A bit rude if you ask me."

She made her way over to them and Dean couldn't help but notice when she got closer that this chick was hot. She wiped at her face with a look of disgust, wiping the gore on her hand off on the wall. She was small but curvy and had a bit of a Tomb Raider vibe to her. Tight cargos with pockets and a holster strapped to one thigh that she put the knife in. She wore a tshirt that didn't hide her figure in the least with a button up, now streaked with blood. She managed the college student vibe but looked strong, able to fight too. A fellow hunter?

"We weren't formally invited ourselves." He quipped. She might be hot but considering the last hot chick turned out to be the polar opposite cosmic sister of god, he was keeping his cards close. There was no way to know if she was even a good guy. Good girl. Chick. Whatever.

"Fellow party crashers? Nice." She gave him a smile before looking at his bindings. "Might have been a good idea to have backup though. They warded these so you couldn't wiggle your way out or use a lockpick. Here, I can undo it." He couldn't see her face but he could hear her chanting something that almost sounded Enochian but not completely before a warm rush went over him and the bindings fell off. "There you go."

"You don't have backup." He rotated his shoulder while gently probing at his face to make sure that last punch he'd gotten hadn't broken anything. Gotta think of the goods, especially with a hot chick around.

She gave him a raised eyebrow and a smirk worthy of a Winchester. "Honey, I don't need backup."

She moved over to Sam who was giving her the same guarded look he was sure he had on his own face. She chanted again and the clank of the bindings was heard before she stood back up and Sam moved his arms so he could rub at his wrists. "Thanks."

The woman began to say what Dean assumed would be you're welcome when her eyes looked past them and to the cage that Cass had been thrown in. Her eyes narrowed, her head moving forward like that tiny movement could give her a better view and then those eyes widened dramatically. He noticed they were a light brown, almost a hazel. "Castiel? Holy crap, Castiel!" She rushed forward, dropping to her knees outside the cage, her hands yanking at the door that must have been warded too if someone like her couldn't pry it open with her hands. "Castiel, can you hear me? Dammit, what did they do to you?"

Dean shared a look of shock with his brother. Now he really wanted to know who this chick was and how the hell she knew Cass. He nodded to where the assholes had tossed their gear, namely some holy water and angel blades. Sam carefully and slowly backed up to them while Dean moved forward to where the woman had her hands over the lock to the cage and was desperately chanting, almost singing. Over the years he'd gotten pretty decent at recognizing various dead languages and thanks to the angel in the cage, the sound of the angel language, Enochian.

"What kind of magic is that? What language? You speak angel?" He needed to keep her distracted, hopefully to the benefit of getting Cass free so Sam could get their weapons. He doubted she was a demon since she seemed so concerned for Cass but then again, Meg had fallen or whatever for the angel, so anything was possible. Whoever she was, she knew enough about angels to speak their language somewhat.

"In a minute. They warded this tight." She took a deep breath before turning and looking at him. "You might want to back up."

He took a step back as she turned back to the lock, putting a hand behind himself to take the knife Sam pressed into it and tuck it up his sleeve before palming the bottle of holy water. Whatever or whoever she was, they had to be smart and not just blindly trust her because she was hot and she saved them. She might have just been mad those assholes got them before she did.

"Dean, look at her hands." Sam whispered.

He looked to see a bright light as she chanted a bit louder, again, almost singing the words. If he didn't pick out what sounded like a blend of Latin and Enochian, he'd think she was singing some Indian song. The light nearly encompassed her hands before she let out a final wail and there was a deep thrum that vibrated through the ground and the door to the cage holding Cass fell in.

She yanked the door out, sliding it across the floor with a grunt before all but crawling inside instead of getting back up just to drop back down by the angel's side. "Castiel?" Her hands moved to his face and chest, a practiced gesture looking for wounds. Not finding any, she turned and looked to them. Now instead of the badass Tomb Raider chick, she almost looked shocked, thrown off balance. "The cage is just a regular dog cage again, can you lift it off? I don't want to move him yet."

They hesitated and she noticed right away. Shit. "I'm not here to hurt any of you, especially one of the friggin' angels who isn't a complete waste of wings. Come on!"

He shared a look with Sam before deftly tucking the bottle of holy water in his back pocket and adjusting the blade in his sleeve so he didn't accidentally stab himself. He took one side and Sam took the other and they easily lifted the cage off their angel friend and the mystery woman. "What's wrong with him? How do you know Cass?" Sam asked after they put the cage down.

"It's complicated but pretty much the same way you know him, I'm guessing. I'm what you all would probably call a hunter. I'm also guessing that if you two are with him then you must be the Winchesters. Small world." She sounded a little sad and something else. Jealous? "As for what's wrong with him? I think it's a spell. One the ancients created to try and trap angels within vessels, making it so they burn through and are forced to move on. A way to dissuade anyone who might agree to being a vessel." She gave them a look. "You weren't the first to realize that a good number of angels are pretentious douchebags. That's been known since everything began. I'm going to try something but I'm guessing you want to make sure I'm not a demon or a monster first."

She stood, with a noticeable tender look to Cass before rolling up her sleeve, revealing a tanned arm with a few scars but nowhere near as many as a regular hunter would have. Dean barely remembered all the stories behind all of his scars, let alone the ones lost to angel healings and returning from the dead and being a demon however briefly. "A hunter with no scars?"

"I know healing spells and you aren't the only ones who've had a little angelic boost from time to time. Wouldn't exactly be able to keep a low profile if I looked like I'd walked out of hell on a regular basis. Come on, give me a slice with that angel blade you have tucked up your sleeve and then you can either splash me with the holy water in your pocket or I can drink it. Your choice."

"How did..." Sam asked baffled. Not just did she know the ways of identifying and that an angel blade was as good as either iron or silver, but she knew about the damn blade up his sleeve and the water in his pocket! He looked to Sam who just shrugged. No use in denying it.

"You wouldn't be the famed Winchesters or the adopted sons of Bobby Singer if you didn't arm yourselves the second I had my back to you. It's alright. Go ahead."

Dean let the blade drop like he'd seen it drop from Cass' trenchcoat so many times and cut her forearm quick in case this was a trick. The only sign of pain she showed was a clenching of her jaw. Sam used his own bottle of holy water and simply poured it over the wound. No reaction.

"I'm human, boys. Well mostly. Like I said, it's complicated. I'm a friendly, okay? Now I'm going to help Castiel and I need you not to freak."

"Wait a second sister, why would we freak?"

"Because you tend to shoot first, from the stories I've heard. Now let me help him."

Another look with Sam and Dean nodded, stepping back and wiping the woman's blood from the blade. A friendly who wasn't entirely human, who knew Cass and knew who they were, was some kind of hunter and spoke the language of angels? He was getting a headache. Or the concussion was setting in.

What he hadn't expected was for the woman's light brown eyes to start glowing. They didn't go the bright blue that Cass' did when he "flapped his wings" as Dean liked to say whenever the angel made extra use of his powers, but they were definitely glowing. Sam pointed out something that almost looked like the shadow of...wings?

"Are you a freakin' angel?"

"No, just bound with one. Now shut up and let me work." She all but growled out, her voice having a faint echoing sound. This time, she put one hand on Cass' forehead and another on his chest. This time there was no singing or chanting. She murmured something and then both her hands glowed bright and the thrum happened again.

Cass gasped, his eyes shooting open and bright blue. It worked.

He moved to sit up but the woman put both hands on his chest. She looked a little winded from whatever she had done and briefly closed her eyes "Easy, Castiel. Careful."

His eyes dimmed to their vessel normal blue and his more than normal look of confusion took his face. "Briathos?" He sounded genuinely puzzled.

"No sweetheart. Not entirely. It's me, Gwen Dancing Bird. Do you remember me?"

He blinked at her before his eyes widened in recognition and he surprised both brothers by yanking her into a strong hug. "I do remember you, little one. I've known you before you were you." He had a soft smile on his face, one of his hands cradling the back of her head. He almost looked content with his eyes closed that way.

Ok, alright. Dean was having just about enough of not knowing what was going on. He was just about to say something when Sam put his hand on his arm and shook his head. Fine. He'd wait. For now.

The woman, Gwen whatever, laughed and hugged him back with an easy affection. "Scared me for a minute, old man. Come on, let's get you out of here and somewhere more comfortable." She turned and looked at them, Cass' arm still around her shoulders, his eyes looking at her like he couldn't get enough. "Let's go upstairs, okay? I'll explain."

"Yeah you are definitely going to do that." Dean grumped, not liking this situation at all. He hated being in the dark about the few people in this world he was close to. How come Cass had never mentioned this woman to them? Why was he so happy to see her yet he never talked about her? "Cass, you alright buddy?"

Cass stood with a little help and then straightened himself out. "Yes, Dean. The spell they used on me is what you would call a whammy." He paused and his shoulders slumped a little. "Please don't look at me like that. You can trust Gwen. All will be explained. Are you alright? Sam?"

"We're okay, Cass. We were worried about you."

"Thank you. Let's get out of this basement."

 **Gwen POV**

Gwen let the taller brother lead the way upstairs with Castiel right behind her and the other brother behind him. She couldn't blame Dean for not trusting her but she was surprised at just how much anger he had within him. He was very protective of Castiel and his brother, she could see that. It was something he got from his father and from Bobby. Had all the stories she heard been true? What happened to that boy she'd briefly met so many years ago?

Then again, she wasn't the same girl she had been then either.

She was a bit in shock realizing that the people she'd managed to rescue were the infamous Winchester boys. It'd been a long time since she'd seen them but they'd managed to amass quite the legend among fellow hunters, angels, demons and everything in between. From releasing Lucifer to stopping the Apocalypse, to being declared dead more than once and more. And she had rescued them. A nice coup for her.

"Gwen, you're bleeding." Castiel's voice stopped her as they entered the kitchen, one room that wasn't damaged by the fight with the warlocks. It looked like a typical kitchen in any house in the country. A table and chairs near a window with light green curtains and the usual counters and cabinets and appliances. Her instincts told her that whoever the house belonged to wasn't the men she'd killed and they probably weren't going to be around to reclaim it. "Let me."

"No, Castiel. I'm fine." She gave him a gentle smile before moving to the sink to rinse the cut again and dab it dry with a paper towel before putting her hand over it and chanting under her breath, causing it to heal enough so it wasn't open and bleeding anymore. She preferred to let her body do most of the work of healing when she could. "Sit down, let your vessel rest."

"Enough. Who are you? What are you?" Dean interrupted, his voice serious and stern even as Castiel made a point of touching him with his fingertips and healing him. He'd taken a seat at the kitchen table, the chair pushed back so it was against the wall, giving him full view of the room and what could be seen out the window. He probably didn't even consciously do it. He silently gave Castiel a nod before the angel went and did the same to Sam and then took a seat. How many times had he healed them over the years?

Gwen sighed deciding to address the giant tatanka in the room. "I understand your distrust, Dean. Believe it or not, we've actually met before. You too." She looked up at the taller Winchester. Sam had been through just as much as Dean if not more from the stories she heard and yet she didn't feel the anger coming off of him like it did from Dean. Why? "Last time I saw you though, I didn't have to look up at you. You grew up well, Sammy."

"Don't you call him that." Dean snapped, his eyes hard and narrow. He was still protective of his brother who now was bigger than him. Not a surprise. Her mother had commented on how protective the older brother was, even all those years ago when they were still children.

"Dean! Would you just stop?" Sam admonished with a tired tone. So he was the more reasonable one? "I'm sorry, I don't remember you."

"It's not surprising. You were maybe 8 or 9 when we met." She looked to Dean who had a furrowed brow. "Bobby and your father brought you boys on a hunt to the Three Meadows reservation in Montana for a Wendigo. Was around 1992 I guess maybe later?" She looked back to Sam, or more exact, looked up at him. "You were so interested in life on the Rez. It was different from anything you'd experienced. You were constantly asking questions about a culture you weren't taught about at all in school. You all but gorged yourself on my grandmother's fry bread."

It was something to see his eyes light up with recognition. "Oh my god, I remember! She was a small and sarcastic as hell and she liked Wheel of Fortune. Your grandmother...she was a medicine woman?" He was a little hesitant at the end, no doubt hoping he wasn't being offensive.

Gwen nodded, impressed with the way he leapt logically to the conclusion. "That's as good a word for it as any. She wasn't in the fight anymore, my mother had taken it up but she still had enough power to protect you while the rest of us went after the wendigo." She looked to Dean. "You insisted on being able to help. Your father...he wasn't..."

"Dad was having a bad time then. It was around '95." Dean's voice was gruff and bitter, as if he'd apologized for his father so many times that it was wearing on him. And as if he didn't think his father had the excuses he thought he had.

"It was after the death of a fellow hunter. That much I understand. It's never easy to lose a friend. He didn't want our help and we didn't exactly want his. It was far from our first time dealing with something like that but he was adamant on taking on the creature by himself and wasn't very diplomatic."

"Jo's father?" Sam spoke up, getting a nod of affirmation from Dean. That must have been the hunter who died. "What do you mean not diplomatic?"

Gwen sighed. "Words were said, threats given. He calmed down after I knocked him on his ass for insulting my father's memory and threatening my mother." She didn't like to think about that night because it put such a stain on the memory of a man who ended up saving so many lives as a hunter and training two men who'd do the same on a near global scale.

Sam looked shocked and a bit impressed while recognition came over Dean's face. "Oh shit. I can't believe I forgot that."

"Yeah. I remember thinking you were so brave when you stood up to him. But the way he knocked you aside and the things he said." She shook her head. She understood the man was racked with guilt for the death of his friend but it was far from an excuse to be an asshole on someone else's turf or cruel to your child who idolized you. "I was sorry to hear of his passing. He was a good man, troubled but good."

"Dad hit you, Dean?"

"Come on Sammy, wasn't the first time and it wasn't the last. I was being a punk, trying to show off for the girl." He stood up from where he'd been sitting and held out a hand. "Sorry for being a dick. Thank you, for helping us. Then and now."

Gwen smiled and took the offered hand before pulling on it and hugging the gruff hunter. A handshake simply wouldn't do. He stiffened at first but relaxed a little and hugged her back awkwardly. It made her sad that his instinct was to pull away. "You wouldn't be a good hunter if you weren't on your guard. I'm glad I was here to help." She turned and gestured to Sam who'd been leaning against the wall. "Come down here so I don't have to embarrass myself by stepping on a chair to hug you please."

That made the younger hunter smile, a smile that reached his eyes much more easily than it did his brother's. He leaned down and she hugged him, her mind flashing back to when he'd been smaller than her and so eager to learn. His hug wasn't as stiff either telling her that Dean had a much harder time with trust and affection than his brother.

"Okay. Good. The energy in the room is so much better now." She took a deep cleansing breath before opening up the fridge and finding what she hoped for, namely cold bottles of water in among the harvested spell ingredients. These people had been busy. "Here. Castiel, drink for the sake of your vessel, after that spell."

The angel nodded, taking the offered water while she tossed bottles to the two Winchesters. The Great Spirit certainly had a strange way of bringing their lives back together. "Yes, thank you." She ruffled his hair and gave him a smile, the little girl in her excited to see her friend again. The older part of her having so many questions that she wasn't entirely sure she wanted the answers to. He was quiet and she wondered how much of that was him trying to figure out how to explain it.

"Okay, Gwen, we know who you are now, at least how we first met. How do you know Cass?"

She took a seat at the table and took a long drink before answering. "Easy. Castiel was my guardian angel. Well, for a Lakota it was more of my guardian spirit, but tomato, tomato."

"Wait, what?" Dean looked confused. "I thought this was your first vessel?"

"It is Dean. When we first met I told you there are people who have the ability to see and hear my true form. Gwen is one of those people. Like a prophet of the lord must be protected, so many of these individuals are paired with angels to help them adjust to...the extra perception." He took a drink of the water.

"So you've seen Cass without a vessel and you still have your eyes?"

Gwen grinned. "A few times. It's hard to explain. My family comes from a long line of what you would call hunters but it's much more than that. We're able to perceive more of the world around us and learn from very early on how to use our gifts to help and protect others. Castiel usually spoke to me without form or as a form of weather. Remember when I asked if the wind blew because you flapped your wings?"

Castiel nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. His eyes, the eyes of his vessel anyway, were bright.

"What kind of gifts?" Dean asked with a suspicious tone.

"True sight for one. I can see the real faces of demons, angels, you name it. Ghosts are easier for me to perceive and auras too. I can do what you would call magic, white magic. It's more about using the energy of the land and the elements than anything else." She shrugged, pointing out essentially the tip of the iceberg. "Stuff like that."

"Is that how you were able to revive Cass before and beat up those dicks? I'm guessing they were witches or wizards or something."

"Partly. I'm able to use magic a bit more easily than most. And please, call them warlocks or anything else. I love Harry Potter too much to refer to them as wizards. What they were doing here was dark magic. Dark enough to panic a psychic friend of mine into begging me to come down here. When I sensed an angelic presence, I knew something bad was going down."

"Cass called you Briathos when he woke up. What does that mean?" Sam asked with the same curious nature he'd had as a boy.

"When the heavens were closed and the angels fell, my people and I were able to help shelter more than one that had been hurt in The Fall." She remembered nearly the entire Rez fanning out to try and get to where they thought they could find one. "One of the three that had survived had been Briathos. She was a warrior angel, known for fighting demons. One of my friends served as her vessel while she healed and we worked together to protect the Rez and all we could during that chaotic time."

She saw Castiel's head drop and reached out, touching his hand. It was strange in a way to see him in a vessel but at the same time, it suited him. The trench coat was a particularly nice touch. "It wasn't your fault, Castiel. Bria knew that, quite a few angels knew that even if they didn't admit it. If the Scribe hadn't used you, he would have hurt someone else to get what he wanted." It had broken her heart when Bria and a few other angels had told her of what had happened to Castiel since she'd last seen him as a child. She was glad to see that he'd gotten his grace back.

"Too many angels died and were killed because I blindly trusted Metatron. That is my fault."

She sighed. "And many of those angels did nothing to do what they were meant to do, protect and serve humanity. You've sacrificed more than they ever did or ever will and for the right reasons."

"So what happened to Briathos?" Dean questioned. She couldn't help but notice him give the angel a quick supportive shoulder squeeze. Good, Castiel had friends.

"The Darkness came. She said was looking for her brother, but really she was just seeking souls that burned brighter than most to assist her power." Gwen took a deep breath. "She tore through the Rez like she was Custer. We lost nearly twenty people including two who were vessels for the other two angels we'd been harboring. My mother..." She swallowed, the pain still sharp after many months. "My mother distracted her so Bria and I could do a spell to try and expel her from the Rez." She pushed away the memory that haunted her, watching that black dress wearing, washitu looking thing holding her mother by her throat after her failed attack before consuming her soul and then throwing her so hard against the tribal post office that it killed her instantly. To others it had looked like a beautiful woman but what she saw was just literally Darkness.

Now Castiel put his hand over hers. "Your mother was a brave woman to do such a thing, Gwen. I'm sorry."

Gwen nodded, taking a deep cleansing breath. To die in defense of the Rez, of her family was not a bad death, she knew that. She'd almost followed her mother to the Happy Hunting Grounds minutes after she'd been killed. "She really was. The Darkness took her but Bria and I were able to expel her with a blood sigil. We nearly killed ourselves doing it. Her vessel, my friend Angela, was almost completely destroyed and I was in a bad way. Angela was already gone so the only way to save both of us was the Inatake Ritual via Blessing Way."

"Excuse me, what?"

"Iho inyu tate inatake ile." She said easily in Lakota. "It means Behold the anointed bond of wind and light."

At the still confused looks of the brothers, Castiel spoke up. "To save them both, Briathos melded her being with Gwen's. Instead of using Gwen as a vessel, she melded her grace with her very cells to save them both."

"In a way." Gwen said softly, missing being able to talk to Bria. "She sacrificed herself to save me. I have a sense of her and some of her memories and gifts. But she's not a conscious part of me." She paused. "It's why my eyes are lighter. I used to have dark brown eyes, Bria lightened them up I guess."

"Wait, you can do that?" Dean said incredulously. "That doesn't break some stupid angel law about mixing with the monkeys downstairs?"

Castiel sighed, apparently used to Dean's blunt way of speaking. "It's not law so much as just how things are meant to be. Most angels would not approve. I, however, see it as a noble action of a brave angel."

"You said memories too? Like what?" Sam interrupted, apparently intrigued.

She smirked. It was one of the stranger aspects of the whole thing. "I have a vague memory, believe it or not, of dinosaurs. Totally ruined Jurassic Park for me. And the pyramids when they were brand new. If you think they are something else now, you should have seen them then."

"Do you have wings?"

"Dean!" Sam said exasperated, throwing his hands in the air.

"What? We saw a shadow when you were healing Cass. Do you or do you not have wings?"

Gwen couldn't help but smile a little and could see a twinkle of amusement in Castiel's eyes. She appreciated Dean's blunt but simple question. "I don't have wings like Castiel does. I can move pretty quick though, tapping into the angelic part or aspect, whatever you want to call it. Almost like teleporting across short distances but not. It takes a lot of out me. I try not to use it if I can help it. Brings the wrong kind of attention." She tilted her head and did the opposite, to get a glimpse of her old childhood guardian beyond his vessel. "Speaking of wings, yours have seen better days, old man."

That was putting it very lightly. She reached out and touched them very gently, able to thanks to her simple ability to be able to perceive them. Dean narrowed his eyes in confusion and she knew it was because to him, it looked like she was running her hand over the thin air just above Castiel's shoulder. She wondered if it was an unusual feeling for him or if he liked it like Bria had. She'd explained that it was the angelic version of affection.

Castiel shrugged, turning a little to almost push his wing into her hand before sitting back. She noted that it was a comfort to him and filed it away mentally for later. "It's been a difficult few years. They look better now than they did a few months ago."

Better? They could look worse?

"Is it true...the Morning Star had your vessel?"

She noticed that Dean's face closed at the mention of Lucifer while a side glance at Sam saw a flash of fear but then a practiced neutral expression. She'd heard of how they'd adverted the Apocalypse and Sam being thrown into hell from Bobby. She couldn't blame him for still having that gut reaction now. She didn't want to even imagine what he'd experienced as Lucifer's vessel and then being trapped in the cage with him.

"Yes, it is true. He was cast out by Amara. By The Darkness. I have been endeavoring to locate him since."

"I wish I could help but I haven't heard anything to be honest." She took a breath. "You were the ones who stopped her? Was she killing the sun?" She remembered how she hadn't even cared at that point, she'd been in such mourning for her mother, Angela and the others the Darkness had taken. She'd blamed herself for not stopping The Darkness before she'd taken so many lives. It was amazing to think that the two boys she'd known all those years ago had saved the world or possibly existence from the sound of things.

"No, she nearly killed Chuck, that's what was killing the sun." Dean said cryptically. "They reconciled and that brought everything back to balance."

"Chuck? Who's that?"

"Chuck Shurley. Well, you might know him as Carver Edlund." Sam explained. "Or as god."

She turned completely in her seat. "What in the name of the Great Spirit are you talking about? What does the guy who wrote those Twilight like books have to do with anything? What do you mean god?"

"God was using Carver as an alias. We managed to convince him to take on his sister, The Darkness and she nearly killed him and then they reconciled. It was a whole thing." Sam tried to explain. "It's complicated."

"Wait, the bitch that killed my mother is the sister of the Great Spirit? I mean god, whatever? What about all the people she killed? That just got forgiven?"

"Gwen, please." Castiel put his hand over her arm again to get her attention. "Amara didn't kill your mother in the sense that she ceased to exist. All the souls she took were released to where they were destined to go. I assure you, she's in heaven."

"And Angela? And the 17 other people she killed on the Rez? What about what Bria had to do? I nearly died because of a brother sister spat?"

"If it makes you feel any better, I nearly had to be a suicide bomber to try and take Amara out." Dean spoke up after an awkward bit of silence, scratching at the back of his neck in an unconscious anxious tell. "Had a couple hundred thousand souls right here, was going to blow her out of existence. Hell, over the last few years Sammy and I nearly died more than once because of the angels and their little family squabble. Supposed to be the vessels so Lucifer and Michael could duke it out."

Gwen put her hand to her head. All this talk of the bitch that killed her mother and friends like she was just some kind of regular job type monster made her queasy. "This is giving me a headache."

"Why don't we get out of here then? We'll get rid of the bodies tomorrow. Are you already staying somewhere?" Sam spoke up. "We came right here around dawn."

She turned to the younger man. "Pretty much the same as you guys. My friend Dane called me almost in tears begging me to come down here to stop a blood sacrifice that would split the heavens or something like that."

"Thanks again, for that." Dean spoke up. "Should we come back here later, poke around and see what we can find?"

"Sounds good to me. I think with Castiel's help, we can ward the house so no one thinks to try and check it out or anything."

Castiel nodded. "Of course."


	2. Chapter 2

**Dean POV**

They had parked the car away from the house and Dean felt a bit better once Baby came into view. He'd had her stolen too many times, even if only temporarily. Sam had repeatedly told him to just install a security system but that would be like setting up a casino in the Sistine Chapel. You didn't mess with perfection.

"Oh wow. I remember this! When you came to the Rez! It was your dad's car, right?"

Dean felt pride that Baby had left a lasting impression. "Yeah. She's been through a lot and been rebuilt more times than I can count, but it's the same car."

Gwen nodded with approval. "Very cool." Her brow furrowed. "Castiel doesn't zap you around?"

Dean shuddered. "He has and I don't like it."

"Dean has a sensitive digestive system and has trouble being regular after I teleport him." Castiel said, opening the back driver's side door for Gwen.

Both Gwen and Sam snorted as Dean stopped short and yelled. "CASS! What did I tell you about telling people about bodily functions? Come on man!"

Gwen at least made the effort of covering her mouth with her hand as the angel shrugged. "You refuse to take the medication they advertise on the television because it could cause erectile disfunction. You are creating your own problem and you need to be aware of that."

Sam was flat out giggling like a child as he got into the front passenger seat. "Yeah Dean. The first step is being aware there's a problem."

Dean only growled, throwing himself into the driver's seat and turning on the car, it's engine loud but just short of being illegal. He barely waited for the doors to be shut before he threw the car into reverse. "Just for that Sammy, dinner is on you. Hey Gwen, you like lobster?"

* * *

Dean sat down on one of the hotel beds and took a deep breath as Cass took his own seat on the bed opposite. The motel wasn't the greatest, they usually weren't and he could hear both the shower in Gwen's room next door and their own with Sam having won the rock paper scissors on the first shower. Bitch. Just for that he was going to get enough food to put himself into a coma for three weeks. That's what he got.

"Cass, we gotta talk." Before any vengeance could be wrought, he needed to have a chat with their resident angel who still didn't quite understand when to keep his mouth shut about certain things as his declaration about Dean's bowels had shown.

"I understand you being upset about not knowing about Gwen." The angel began but stopped when Dean held up his hand.

"No, it's not that. I'll get right to it. Cass, the only reason the Darkness escaped and why her people and her mother died was because of me. Because of the Mark and what was done to remove it. We were warned more than once and it happened anyway. It's my fault."

"Dean, no. There was no way you could have known what the Mark would do, no matter what Cain said. It managed to corrupt an archangel and you fought against it longer than most would. You told us to stop trying to cure you and we didn't listen. The Darkness being released is as much my fault or Sam's or Rowena's or Crowley's. You cannot blame yourself."

Dean sighed, weaving his fingers together and looking at the shag carpet under his feet. "Cass you should know me by now, blaming myself is what I do. I practically wrote the book on it."

"And you shouldn't. There's a reason you were and still are the Righteous Man. I wish you could see it and have faith in yourself and what you do."

Dean looked up and felt immense affection for the angel, one of the very few that was, as the woman next door put it, worth his wings. After everything Dean had put him through and he was still his strongest defender next to Sammy. "Well, you have faith in me, that's something."

Castiel nodded.

"Anyways, I think we need to just not tell Gwen about that stuff just yet. About how the Darkness was released and her...connection to me." He paused, thinking of the pull the ancient being had had on him. "She wouldn't understand. Not yet." He didn't know just how long Gwen would be around and he didn't want to taint that time or make things awkward by giving her every detail about what had happened in the previous year.

"I won't lie to her, Dean."

"I'm not asking you to lie to her, Cass. Just don't volunteer information about the whole thing. It's better if she doesn't know just yet."

The angel let a breath out of his nose, obviously not liking the idea. "Alright. I understand. I agree that she would not react well to the information. Not many would."

Dean nodded. "Exactly my point."

 **Sam POV**

"Hey Gwen. Mind if I join you?" Sam had gotten out of the motel bathroom to give Dean a chance at the shower when he noticed the Lakota woman walking out into the field behind it with her head down. He couldn't blame her for being thrown by the whole thing with Amara. He would have felt the same if Dean had ended up going through with his mission or if somehow Azazel was just let go for what he'd done. He was curious to learn more about her without Dean adding his constant commentary. Castiel was making himself useful by warding and securing both rooms just in case the dead warlocks had friends.

"Oh hi Sam." She looked up at him with pained eyes. "Please, sit."

He sat down in the grass, finding it soothing to just sit there. "Beer?" He held up one of the two he'd grabbed before heading out into the field.

"What? Oh, I don't drink. Thanks though."

"After everything you've been through and you don't drink?"

She chuckled. "It doesn't help in the long run. Plus, my people haven't exactly had the best of luck when it comes to the fire water, you know?"

"Can you try telling Dean that? Guy is practically a walking distillery."

"It's how he deals. I vaguely remember your dad drinking."

Sam nodded, putting both bottles down on the ground. "Yeah. Depended on how the case went as to how much. Bobby was a bit better at controlling it."

"Bobby was a stubborn old coot. A wise one too. I miss talking to him." She sighed. "You boys were with him when it happened?"

Sam nodded, remembering the panic of the rush to the hospital, thinking how it just wasn't right that Bobby would be taken down by a bullet of all things. The joy of him waking up and that final "idgit" and then he was just gone. Of course that hadn't been the last of him and Sam had been glad to have that brief conversation with him from his version of Heaven. "Yeah we were. He came back as a spirit, because he was that stubborn but he's in heaven now. Cass checks in on him from time to time. He's at peace now, finally."

She smiled a little. "That's good. He saved so many lives in his years as a hunter. He deserves heaven."

He swallowed, his heart always aching at the loss of the man who'd all but helped raise them. Had been more of a father than his real father it felt like sometimes. "Yeah. He was the best, he really was."

They sat quietly for long minutes, listening to both the crickets and the sound of the cars passing on the roadway before he spoke again. "I'm going to admit, it's weird, to see Cass so...affectionate with someone else. He tends to be a bit awkward, I mean, with people other than me or Dean. And even then, it's a bit robotic."

She smiled, pulling up her legs and wrapping her arms around them and resting her head on her knees. Her black hair was loose and disappeared into the grass it was so long. As long as his hair was, he couldn't imagine having that much. "Really? I don't see that. You guys have a nickname for him and he's pretty much known for being your protector."

"Our protector?"

She smiled bigger. "As much shit as you guys have been through, you don't even know how much you've been protected from because of Castiel. That's how Bria knew that what the other angels were saying about him wasn't true. Any angel who fights that hard for two humans so determined to get themselves killed, is a good angel, worthy of grace. That's what she said. She had a great amount of respect for him. So did Ruth and Jeremiah. I think he inspired them."

"He's a really good guy, for an angel. We've managed to meet a few that didn't try to kill us or well made up for trying to kill us like Bathazar and Gabriel."

She smirked. "The Trickster? Yeah, he tried to hide who he was but I saw right through it when he showed up at the Rez a couple years ago. He was trying to pose as our version of the trickster, known as Coyote."

"Yeah. We had a few run ins with him but when it came down to it, he stood up, helped give us what we needed to stop everything. The apocalypse I mean." His mind flashed with running out of that motel with the goddess Kali, of the light that lit up the rearview as they peeled out of the parking lot, telling them what had happened.

"I've encountered that myself over the years. Just when you think you can't trust or rely on someone, they surprise you at the zero hour." She paused. "Speaking of, I've heard quite a bit about you boys from Crowley."

Sam stiffened. "Wait, you know Crowley?" How much smaller was their world going to get?

She nodded. "Yeah. I know he's a bit of a pompous ass but he's a decent sort, depending on the day. When he was struggling to detox from his addiction to human blood so he could keep his control of Hell, he went looking for my grandmother's magic to help him. I guess her legend as a healer was even known in hell. She'd already passed though. My mom and I managed to help him a bit, after we saved his sorry ass from a good sized group of demons sent by Abaddon to kill him. The Rez is completely off limits to any demons thanks to him with very special warding he created. But don't tell anyone, it'd ruin his already tattered reputation."

Sam shook his head. Wonders never ceased. Crowley actually going out of his way to protect humans who had gone out of their way to protect him and not double crossing them? "Do I even want to know what kind of things he said about me and Dean?"

"Nothing that horrible, honestly. I think he admires you both, not that he'd ever admit it. Kept referring to you as Moose and it wasn't until I saw you today that I realized why." She laughed a little. "I think he enjoys the actual challenge you present him. The way you fight for people you never knew and would never see again and how you dish his bullshit right back to him. In the end, I think he's just lonely, really. The demons in hell are just a bunch of mindless drones or just vicious animals it seems like. He made a point of calling to have me reinforce the wards around the Rez last summer. Something about a knight of hell he was tagging around with. That it'd be better if he didn't come our way."

"Oh." Sam tried not to think about the summer that Dean had been a demon and besties with the King of Hell, to quote the demon. Or the fact that he knew Crowley was lonely because of the way he was still angry about Rowena abandoning him 300 years ago. Now to try and explain how Crowley had been warning her because of Dean. This was a bit awkward. "That was Dean actually."

"What? White boy, you be trippin'."

Sam laughed, realizing Gwen had a better sense of humor than most hunters he'd ever met. "I'm serious. To destroy Abaddon, he took on the Mark of Cain. She could only be killed with the First Blade which doesn't count for shit without the Mark. He killed her and nearly killed Metatron but then Metatron killed him. And because of the Mark, he became a demon. He's much better now."

After staring at him in shock for a long minute, she snorted. "Wow. And I thought my life was exciting."

He leaned back, resting on his elbows. He decided not to mention that it was removing the Mark that led to Amara being released. She probably wouldn't react well to that. He had a feeling Dean and Cass would agree. "You had an actual guardian angel and you are bonded with one now. That's not boring." He looked up into the twilight sky. "Seriously though, I think Dean's a little jealous. Cass has always kind of been our angel, you know?"

Gwen nodded. "Understandable. They don't have a thing, do they?"

Sam fought back the urge to sigh. If it wasn't people thinking Dean and Cass were a couple, they were mistaking the two brothers as a couple. "No, no. Cass is like another brother to us. I mean, he's a Winchester in my eyes and I know Dean has told him more than once that he's family. He's had a couple...lady friends I guess you could call them." Cass had had just about the same luck as he and Dean had. A sort of reformed demon who sacrificed herself for him and then a reaper who tortured and tried to kill him. Definitely a Winchester.

"Good. I'm glad. Not that the other thing would have been horrible or anything. Castiel needs a good family. His is fucked up."

"Amen to that, pun intended." He grinned. "So what was it like having Cass as a guardian angel?"

She shrugged. "I didn't really think of him like an angel when I was a kid. It was more like having a secret dad that the other kids couldn't see. The closest I had to a dad anyway. My dad died when I was a toddler. A werewolf got him. I don't even remember him. But Castiel was always there for me, either teaching me or just listening. Sometimes in explaining things to him, I figured them out for myself. He was always patient with me and comforted me."

"Cass as a dad. Huh." Somehow, he liked the idea. Cass had always been much more protective of humanity than other angels, maybe that was part of it. "I guess that makes sense since he knew you from I'm guessing babyhood. Is that what he meant by before you were you? Is that why you call him old man?"

"You do realize he's essentially billions of years old, right? He was there when we were crawling out of the oceans. He was there for the Tower of Babylon and all that. Old man fits." She shook her head. "The way I understand it, people like me, our souls are guided by an angel to our destined families or mothers or whatever. He knew me when I was just a little tiny cloud of light." She looked away. "At least that's how my mother's soul looked when..."

Sam took a chance and reached out, putting his hand on her arm like Cass had done back at the house. "Don't focus on why you saw her soul, but maybe on the chance of seeing what she truly was deep down."

She turned her head and looked at him with a sad but bemused look. "Are you going to quote Yoda to me, Sam Winchester?"

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." He did in his best Yoda voice, which wasn't very good.

She laughed right outloud and he couldn't help but grin. "That was awful."

"Yeah I know. It's in the effort. And it's true though. What we are, deep down is more than just this. That's something that...I think that's what bugs a lot of angels. Like Lucifer. He was so jealous of us, like we were taking Chuck, his dad, away from him. He was so angry, so offended by the very idea of it."

She nodded, her eyes becoming serious. "I can't imagine what you went through, dealing with him."

Sam shrugged. "I kind of understand him in a way I guess. Don't get me wrong, he's evil but I think a lot of that had to do with his issues with Chuck, you know, god. He tried to help in the big fight against Amara. Cass is convinced he wasn't destroyed, that he's out there somewhere. He volunteered his vessel so I wouldn't have to. So I wouldn't be exposed to that again."

"That sounds like him." She took a deep breath. "Want to go back inside? See what kind of awful food we can order and pig out on? Maybe I can dissuade Dean from going for the lobster."

"Sounds good to me." He stood up and reached down to help her stand, grabbing the two unopened beers with his other hand as she led the way back through the field. "So being bonded with an angel, did that change basic stuff like eating? Cass was human for a time and now he can't taste food like he did."

She shook her head. "No, not really. I mean, I tend to need to eat more when I tap into the Bria part of me but I don't think it changed me much. I don't really know, it's not exactly something that happens on a regular basis. I have a feeling I'll live much longer and with better health than most. That is unless I get ganked or something."

"At least you have an express ticket to heaven. Maybe you'd get to be an angel."

She smirked, hopping the ditch between the motel and the field. "I heard they are hiring. Had a bit of a downsizing when the economy in heaven tanked."

He laughed and simply stepped over the ditch, one of the perks of being tall. "Downsizing, that's an interesting way to put it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Gwen POV**

Gwen laughed as Dean and Sam squabbled over what food belonged to who before Castiel stepped in and did the dividing up, complete with them making faces at the angel the whole time. She liked seeing the way the three interacted and that they could still smile and laugh despite everything. Castiel seemed to know the boys' preferences, not even asking as he divided up the food between them. Apparently Sam was a bit of a health nut whereas Dean liked his cholesterol. Really liked his cholesterol from the massive thing he proudly announced as something called an Elvis.

"So Gwen, do you pose as FBI and everything for cases like we do?"

She pretended to scoff at Sam. "Boy, I'm naturally FBI. Full Blooded Indian!" She gave him a grin, thanking Castiel for her food, consisting of burgers and fries. Ironically, she was the middle ground between the brothers in terms of food choice. "Sometimes I do. I try not to even let the locals know I'm there for a specific case if I can help it. That way if things go south, they won't remember me poking my nose around."

The taller man nodded, rolling his eyes as Dean simply pointed to the floor rather than let him sit on the bed with him.

"It's getting harder for us to be believable as FBI with friggin' Fabio over here with the hair." Dean groused, shoving his brother with his foot when he was flipped off. "What about money? You said Three Meadows tries to stay as off the grid as it can, how do you do that with a whole town?"

"It's not as hard as you think. There are lots of ways to get money online and we have a few good hackers that know the Dark Web pretty well. We have three different herds of buffalo that sustains us and brings in some money too. We grow a lot of our own crops and we do use some technology to be environmentally conscious. Windpower and solar power mostly. The more off the grid we are, the less we have to try and explain the little things that would have us stand out to the ones clueless about what goes bump in the night."

"Like?"

"Well," She started before standing up and shrugging off her button-up and tugging up the back of her tshirt so the boys could see her back. "I've got a bit more ink than most but every single one of the people on the Rez has an anti-possession tattoo. Right down to the babies."

"Oh wow. Is that a medicine wheel?" Sam asked, moving to see a little better. "Which one is anti-possession? I don't see one that looks like ours."

She reached behind her and tried the best she could to point to the one at the very center of the medicine wheel. "Very good on recognizing the wheel, Sam. That one is the Lakota symbol for anti-possession. Contrary to what most white hunters think, not everything has to be done in Latin or with Judeo-Christian symbols."

She let the shirt fall back down and shrugged her button up back on before taking her seat again, offering her fries to Castiel who took a few. He'd mentioned that he'd been experimenting with eating again and trying not to taste every molecule when she'd asked him about what Sam had told her about his tasting issues.

"So everyone in Three Meadows knows about demons and angels and everything?" Dean said with a furrowed brow. "How many people are we talking?"

"Roughly 1000, give or take. Mostly Lakota but we have some Arapahos, Blackfeet, a few Creek, Cherokees and Cheyenne. Back in the day, there was no division between the worlds, it was just common knowledge. I guess Three Meadows is a bit old school but we're safer for it. Every kid knows how to protect themselves and signs to look for. Until the Darkness, we hadn't lost anyone to a demon or a vamp or anything for years. Usually then it was because someone chose to be careless off the Rez."

"That's impressive. And that's even with all the stuff from the last few years?"

She nodded, thinking of all the weird stuff that had happened with Lucifer's release, the Mother of All Monsters and the Leviathans. "We have our version of demon traps surrounding the Rez and various spells and sigils keep us pretty well hidden. Just the same, there's the occasional need to kick some ass." She looked to Castiel. "Bria, Jeremiah and Ruth helped a great deal."

He paused and then nodded. Two more angels, two more siblings gone. She reached out and touched his shoulder for a moment, knowing there was no real way she could comfort him for that loss.

"Jeremiah and Ruth were the other two angels?"

"Yeah. They didn't want to go back to Heaven after the Fall. They liked Three Meadows, helping humans instead of being judgmental and above it all. So we gave them sanctuary. They were teachers and healers while Bria worked mostly with me on the defensive side of things."

"So if an outsider comes, like someone from the government and they asked you what you did on the Rez, what do you tell them?" Sam asked curious.

"I'm considered a tribal elder because of my role as Protector, so I'd tell them a bit of everything, which is the truth. I've stepped in on domestic stuff, helped keep drugs out, helped out at the school, all that. Wherever I'm needed, whatever I can do. It's my home, it's my duty."

"And everyone on the Rez stays on the Rez? Wouldn't that raise red flags?"

"Not everyone stays. I mean, we have quite a few who go out for work outside of the Rez, just for appearances. We have our official lawyers and doctors, licensed teachers and things. We've had people move to New York and California and all that. They keep in contact though and help give us a heads up of what's going on around the Rez and the country. That's generally how I find my cases, as you call them. Demons, monsters, you name it. Even just bad human shit, I don't mind taking that on either."

"What about you? Is it abnormal for you to be this far away from home? Have you pretty much been forced to stay there all these years?"

She gave a soft smile. "No Sam. I've traveled a fair bit. I wasn't forced into being a Protector because I have the sight. I had the choice and I chose it. It's a hard life sometimes but a rewarding one too. I've lived a relatively normal life. At least compared to some hunters. Went to college, got my degree, all that."

"College? Where?"

"Notre-Dame. Full scholarship too. Guess it's beneficial sometimes to be part of an endangered people. It always amazed me while I was there at how people almost walk willingly into getting slaughtered. That whole Twilight thing practically reinvigorated the vampire community. I got very good at decapitations and saving stupid sorority girls and tweens."

"Ugh. Don't get me started on that sparkly emo vampire shit." Dean cursed.

"And then there's the desecration of graves for frat hazings that lead to angry ghosts and strange deaths. I was amazed at how much could happen and people didn't seem to recognize it as anything more than just another tragic death. Like they have blinders on to what the world really is."

"Humans have an innate ability to ignore their senses. I've occasionally wondered at how you've survived as a species but then again, humans seem to thrive on surprising fate and reality."

Gwen grinned. "Fate. Protects fools, little children and boys named Winchester." Considering some of the stuff they had gotten into over the years, it was a very accurate statement.

Dean's eyes got big. "Did you just kinda quote The Next Generation?"

She was surprised. She'd have never expected Dean to be the one to recognize it, let alone something obscure like that. "Are you telling me you actually know Star Trek?"

"Dude." He threw up the Vulcan salute.

"Oh god, here we go again." Sam groaned, letting his head fall back against the bed.

"Do I want to know?"

"Nothing, just Dean geeking out about Star Trek and railing against myself and Bobby because we didn't know what he was talking about when he said that we were going to, and I quote, Star Trek IV this bitch."

Gwen looked down at the younger Winchester confused. How did he not know Star Trek IV? "Obviously go back in time to get something that doesn't exist now to save the world from potential destruction."

"YES!" Dean crowed, nearly throwing himself over the bed to hold out a fist. He looked overjoyed that someone had gotten his reference so easily when his own brother and adopted father hadn't. "You are awesome!"

She laughed and did the obligatory fist bump. "Thank you. Thank you."

 **Dean POV**

"So you had a run in with the Amazons too?" Dean asked, perched happily with a full stomach against the headboard of his bed while Sam sat on the floor and strangely enough Cass and Gwen sat cross legged side by side on the other bed. Oddly it felt almost normal. Just hanging out with his brother and friends, telling stories and stuff. Gwen had done and seen quite a bit but something told him she was still holding back.

He couldn't blame her. It was instinct for a hunter or a protector as she called it, to not show all their cards.

Just the same, he was impressed. She tended to stay close to Three Meadows, only going further out when the case required it or she was asked for help or saw a pattern no one else seemed to be catching on to. He still couldn't figure out why Bobby had never mentioned her as one of the hunters he helped or had asked help from. Hadn't he figured that she'd fit right in with them? Maybe he'd been respectful of her role with her people?

"Yeah, that wasn't fun. They showed up in Butte and killed 3 men when my mom recognized the ritual and we went after them. Took out quite a few before we convinced them strongly to move on."

"Just move on? I'm surprised you didn't take them out."

She shrugged. "My people have a fair bit in common with them. When they made the deal with Harmonia, they were desperate. They wanted their culture to live. I get that. I'm surprised more tribes here didn't try something like that when they were being kicked out of their homes or chased by the cavalry. Is what they do right? Absolutely not. But I get it."

"What about the kids?"

"Forced them leave them behind and got them into witness protection thanks to some feds that owed Mom a favor. Two girls, obviously. Managed to stop them from getting to the big ceremony where they eat human flesh and then go kill their fathers." She looked at him curiously for a long minute. "Did you? No! Come on, really?"

Dean sighed and nodded, taking a long swig of beer. She was too smart and too quick. And he had been too desperate and too stupid when he met Lydia. "Yep. My one actual biological child. That I know of, I mean. They named her Emma."

"Oh no. Did you have to?" It was obvious she knew the answer even as she asked the question and had sympathy for the whole situation.

"No, I did it." Sam spoke up from the floor. "I'm the world's worst uncle." Strangely enough, Sam hadn't seemed very bothered at the time about having done it, claiming he'd had to act since Dean had hesitated. Now he almost sounded like he regretted it, maybe thinking about the fact that she actually had been his neice, even if she was only a couple days old.

"You guys do realize that you had no choice, right? Once they do that final ceremony, that's it. Killing you Dean would have been as vital as breathing or eating. It would have consumed her. It's awful how they are forced into that. I'm sure she was beautiful."

Dean couldn't help but give the woman a nod. This was probably the most he'd ever talked about Emma since it happened and he appreciated her trying to focus on the positives. "Yeah she was. I mean, she was physically about 15 or 16 when she tried to kill me but she was pretty. I think she would have ended up looking a lot like our mom. Maybe, I dunno." He shrugged. "What about you? I find it hard to believe a literally angelic woman like you hasn't found a good guy to settle down with."

She grinned and rolled her eyes. "It's been 20 years and your lines have NOT improved, Dean."

Sam cackled from his seat on the floor so when Dean got up to toss his paper plate in the garbage and get another beer, he gave his baby brother a good kick to the leg on the return trip. "Whatever. Come on, no kids? Husband?"

She shook her head. "I was pregnant once, about 10 years ago. I didn't even know it until I miscarried. Got kicked in the stomach by a shifter. It was really early on, so I didn't have any symptoms or anything."

Dean felt bad for bringing it up now. "Damn. I'm sorry. And the dad?"

She shrugged. "Dumped me like a load of buffalo shit. Blamed me and said he couldn't be with someone who did what I did." She turned her head to Castiel who as resting his hand on her shoulder in support. "Besides once a guy finds out about my past and what I can do, they can't be blamed for running to the hills."

"Any man should feel beyond privileged to be worthy of your attention."

Dean turned just in time to see the absolute affection just beam from Gwen's face at what Cass' had said. Sam had explained that strangely enough Cass was almost like a father to her. And right then, he really sounded like a dad. He couldn't help but share a smile with Sam as she wrapped her arms around the angel and gave him a loud kiss to the cheek.

"Thank you Castiel. That's very sweet." She turned back to them and shrugged. "To be honest, how many people would understand this life? I mean have either of you had relationships that were healthy and long term for more than maybe a year that weren't destroyed by hunting in some way?"

Dean looked back on the last few years and knew he couldn't say yes. Lisa had been the closest he'd gotten but he'd nearly gotten her and Ben killed. It'd left him no other choice but to have their memories wiped of him. Anna, Cass' old garrison commander, had been a one night thing and then they'd had to go back in friggin' time to stop her from killing their parents to prevent their conceptions. And of course the Amazon. And the born again porn star. Christ. "Point made."

"Anyways, I get to play mom sometimes with the kids on the Rez. Any orphans or kids without families pretty much get adopted by the whole Rez unless someone formally adopts them. So yeah, I have that at least." She shrugged. It was obvious to Dean that she was pretty much full of shit but he wasn't calling her on it. He knew how she felt, lonely because of the job. At least he had Sam and Cass. Who did she have really?

"Well this is depressing." Sam quipped, getting up from his seat on the floor. Had it been really over 10 years since that night he pulled Sam out of that flaming bedroom, poor Jess pinned to the ceiling? Or since the werewolf or Ruby? He mentally shuddered thinking of that one. He really wished Sam had never told him about that.

"It's honest." Gwen added, fighting a yawn. "And on that note, I think I'm gonna head to my room. Want to grab some breakfast first thing and see what info we can gather at the house tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan. Get some sleep." Dean said, giving the sleepy woman a nod.

"Okay. I know you don't sleep Castiel. What do you do while they sleep?" She stood up and stretched, her shirt riding up a little, showing a hint of skin.

"Usually watch over them. Dean says it's creepy."

"Because it friggin is! Wake up in the middle of the night to find him just sitting there staring."

"And yet I doubt you have bad dreams with Castiel there." She gave his arm a pat. "My room is right next door so he'll be able to guard all our dreams. Right, old man?"

Castiel nodded. "Yes, that's easily done."

"Good. Come on, you can stay with me so you don't creep Dean out." She shook her head. "Vampires, demons and leviathans, he's fine. An angel by his bed and he's creeped. That's weird and adorable."

"I am not adorable." Dean pretended to grump but knew he wasn't very convincing. He kinda liked being thought of as adorable. It was better than being thought of as a dick. Gwen made him think of Charlie. Dear sweet strange brave Charlie. He hoped wherever she was, she knew he missed the hell out of her.

"Keep tell yourself that, sweetheart." She gave him a wink, heading for the connecting door between the rooms. "G'night Sammy."

"Good night Gwen. Night Cass. Sleep well."

"Thanks."

* * *

A few minutes later, he lay in yet another motel bed in another motel room, staring up the ceiling. The street light from outside striped the shadow of the blinds across the room.

"I like her. Gwen. Don't you?" Sam spoke out into the darkness from his own bed.

"She's something else, sure. Nice to run into a hunter who actually knows what they're doing. Weird Cass never mentioned her to us."

"There's plenty of things we've never told him. Maybe he was trying to protect her in his way. Or maybe it has to do with what Naomi did to him. I mean, she nearly got him to kill you that time. I think this is the happiest I've seen him since you came back from going to take out Amara."

Dean smiled in the dark, thinking of how the angel had nearly knocked him out of his shoes in his surprise with a hug when he made his way back to the bunker after. After everything he'd been through thanks to his association and loyalty to him and Sam, Cass deserved some happiness. "Yeah, I'd second that." He lay there for a while before he had to mention the demon elephant in the room. "She's totally hot too. Think that's the angel part?"

Sam snorted in amusement. "Dean, come on."

"I'm serious. I want to see before and after pictures. We haven't seen her in 20 years, we can't really make a proper assessment."

"You are seriously demented." Sam laughed. "But yeah, she's cute and smart. Surprised she's single."

"Yeah, me too. Then again, look at us! Two fine young-ish strapping hunters and we're sharing a motel room yet again." Though thankfully not a bed like that crap hotel in Iowa City. He never wanted to think about that night again and how he'd discovered much to his horror that his little brother was a cuddler.

"Well my last hook up was a random waitress in the backseat of the Impala. You nearly hooked up with god's sister. Yeah, big surprise we are where we are."

"Shaddap Sam. That's not my point." Strangely he wasn't sure what his point was. Maybe the fact that now that he knew who Gwen was, he didn't quite mind her calling his little brother Sammy which was normally a family thing. Hell, even Bobby hadn't called him Sammy.

A sigh in the dark. "Don't even think about it Dean. Seriously. Cass would probably zap you to the Sahara and leave you there. Besides, I'm pretty sure she'd break you like a pretzel if the way she took out those warlocks is any sign."

Dean grinned into the night. His brother knew him too well. "True to the first and she is SO welcome to try. Yee-fuckin'-ha, Sam." He couldn't help but laugh at the well aimed pillow that collided with his chest.


	4. Chapter 4

**Gwen POV**

"I really missed you Castiel. Did you hear my prayers?" Gwen asked, stepping back into the room to find the angel had busied himself with turning down her bed and adding pillows from the second for her comfort while she'd changed into pajamas. It had been a very long but interesting day to say the very least. She was almost afraid to go to sleep and wake up to find she'd only imagined seeing Castiel again.

"I wish I had been able to. Did you get the postcards I sent you?"

She nodded silently, sitting down on the bed and letting the angel tuck her in. That had been something he'd never been able to do before, having not had a vessel then. She was a bit old to be babied in such a way but she didn't care, it was nice. Pampering almost and she didn't get to experience that very often. "I did. It's funny how I knew it was you sending them."

"Good. Sometimes it was difficult to find a good postcard to send." He'd sent some unique ones from nearly all over the world, probably when he'd first gotten the vessel and then after from all over the United States. The message had almost always been the same, written in careful Enochian but with no signature or return address. She'd kept them all because she knew they had to be from her wayward guardian. Take care and be strong. I believe in you.

She couldn't help but smile and tug on the angel's hand so he'd sit by her side. "How are you? Really. Not what you tell the boys but the truth. Your wings scared me." They were very damaged, more than she figured the Winchesters realized or even understood. The way she remembered them to what they were now was like night and day. They'd been so lush when she was a child, not ragged and patchy as they were now.

He shook his head and looked away. "I was honest, they look better now than they did. The last few years have been difficult."

Difficult? She had a feeling he was being rather generous with all that had occurred since she last saw him and since he'd started working with the Winchesters. He'd been through so many changes including least of all his brief time as a human. "Why didn't you come home, to the Rez? We could have helped you, took care of you." She gave his hand a squeeze. "I know mom and unci, my grandmother would have loved to see you again."

"It would have put you in danger if I had. I wouldn't want to risk you or your people because of me." He let go of her hand and gently stroked her hair. It made her think of when she was a child and he would make the wind twist around her hair and make it dance when she was sad. "My wings would be ash if I caused you to be hurt. I'm very sorry about your mother. I should have been there."

"Castiel, you had no way of knowing. You were fighting the best way you knew. Mom knew what could happen. Do you really think she's in heaven?"

"She is. I was there briefly a few weeks ago. She's at peace, with your grandmother in their shared heaven."

She blinked, not expecting to have her hopes confirmed. "What's their heaven?"

"The day you were born, of course." He said softly. "Get some sleep. I'll be here." He leaned over and kissed her temple. She might be getting close to 40 but right then she felt like a child and it filled her with a sad joy. Sad just because she thought of what Sam had said, about Castiel not being very affectionate and being more awkward than anything else. She didn't remember that from her childhood and he certainly wasn't being awkward now. It was almost as if no time had changed.

"Castiel, can you show me what's happened to you? I need to understand why you went away. Why you never came back." She blurted out before she lost the bravery to say it. She knew angels had a way of transferring knowledge and memories psychically rather than to waste time with trying to retell it all in words like humans.

The angel stopped, having been in the motion to move to sit on the other bed in the room. "No. Don't ask me to do that. It's too much."

"Then talk to me. Why did you leave?" She remembered being about 12 when it happened, before she ever met the Winchesters. Castiel had come to her when she'd been riding one of the ponies among the herd of buffalo the Rez kept. He'd told her that he had no more to teach her, that she was ready for her destiny. That there were other children who needed him. That he had to say goodbye. It'd broken her heart. She still felt like she needed him. It was a feeling that never quite left.

"I didn't want to. You have to believe me. I didn't. I was lucky I was allowed to say goodbye to you."

"Who allowed it?" She knew from talking to the angels the Rez had rescued that the Great Spirit had been gone for most of human history and hadn't been in seen in a very long time. That was, she guessed, until his reappearance last year. It was all very confusing.

"Michael."

That shocked her. "Wait, the archangel? The one that Dean is the true vessel of? I don't understand." From the way that the Winchesters had described the archangel, he'd hadn't exactly been one overflowing with sentiment.

"Michael called on me to watch over the Winchesters. No doubt in preparation for their roles in what was meant to be the apocalypse." He paused. "I asked him to choose another angel, I wished to stay with you and your people. He refused but granted me a chance to see you one last time." He was quiet for long moments. "I remember now what he told me. Go forth, Castiel. Say farewell to your human child and fret not, she will be a great warrior of her people thanks to you."

Gwen swallowed, willing herself not to cry. The archangel Michael, who from what she understood from the summary of the wars from the Winchesters had been the angel in charge when Chuck left, had called her a great warrior. It was quite the compliment. And had referred to her as Castiel's child. "He was right. I mean, if it wasn't for you, I don't know if I could have done half of what I did. He really called me your child?"

"In the eyes of heaven, you are. And I was there at your creation in Heaven and there as you were born, guiding your soul to your body."

She choked, not realizing just how much she'd missed him. "Why didn't you come back after? I don't understand! It's been over 20 years!" She knew that he hadn't been with the Winchesters every moment of every day and the civil wars in heaven didn't even take up all of the rest of his time. He'd been human for a time as well, what kept him away then?

"Gwen, Gwen." Castiel moved to sit back on the bed, cupping her face with his hand. "I tried. I did. I was stopped, my memories of you erased, blocked. It's why I never told Sam and Dean about you. I didn't remember."

She felt a tear escape and roll into her hairline. He was a billions old celestial being, how could his memories be tampered with? "I don't understand."

"There was a group of angels led by one named Naomi. She manipulated angels who were considered to be on the edge of going against what their role in heaven was meant to be. She put them back in line, you could say. After Lucifer and the others who fell, they wanted to prevent more angels from doing the same. Many angels were manipulated. Many like me, simply wanted to protect humanity, humans we'd watched over for so long. Many who weren't being mindlessly obedient." He stroked her face. "They couldn't erase you entirely. The postcards were a sign of that. I didn't realize who I was sending them to or why I thought they would understand Enochian but that I needed to."

She sniffled and sat up, hugging the angel with everything she had in her. All the years she'd agonized over what she'd done wrong that he wouldn't come back, wouldn't answer her. Hearing of his working with the Winchesters from Bobby and the Angels Three as she had affectionately referred to the rescued angels of the Rez. Hoping that he would find his way home. "How come you remember me now?"

"I think my father had something to do with it. Or Amara when she cast Lucifer out. I don't know. But when I saw you today, it all clicked. When you said your name, I remembered. I remembered everything." He stroked her back, his other hand holding her head to him, like a father would for an upset child. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to."

"You had no choice. I'm just happy to get to see you again. Spend some time with you." She let go of him reluctantly after a few minutes and laid back down.

"It makes me happy as well." He gave her a soft look. "No one is going to separate us like that again. I won't allow it."

"Me either." She confirmed. The way he spoke of this Naomi made her think that the angel was dead, maybe in The Fall, maybe before. That was good, she thought darkly. Otherwise she'd be doing some smiting of her own.

"Good. We're in agreement. Now get some rest. It's not a regular thing when working with the Winchesters, trust me."

She smiled and got comfortable as he took a seat on the opposite bed. "Okay. G'night Castiel."

"Good night, little bird."

* * *

Gwen woke early as she had a tendency to do when on a case and was pleased to see she hadn't dreamed the day before at all. Castiel was seated at the end of the other bed, watching the television with the volume off. What made her smile was the fact that the celestial being of billions of years of age was watching cartoons, specifically Tom and Jerry.

"Good morning, Castiel." She said with a yawn, stretching without getting up. She'd slept rather well, probably the best she'd slept in months if she was honest. Was it because of Castiel's presence or just the comfort of knowing that his staying away wasn't her fault and he had wanted to stay?

He turned. "Good morning Gwen. It's early, are you feeling alright?"

She nodded, sitting up. "I'm good. I usually wake up early when I'm on a case. Listen, do you mind if I take off on my own for a bit? I left my ride near the house and I want to see how right I am about being able to cut through the forest here and get there in a decent amount of time."

"I could zap us there so you aren't alone. It would probably be better to wait for Sam and Dean before going back to the house."

"I'm not going to approach the house alone. Besides, no one would expect anyone approaching from the forest. My ride isn't even within sight of the house, I'll be fine." She got up and grabbed her bag on the chair, pulling out her reinforced buffalo hide moccassins. "Plus, I kinda just need some nature time, you know?"

The angel nodded. "Yes, I remember. When you needed to think, you would go out into the wilderness when you were a child. I understand better now why it was so appealing."

"I won't be long and I'll have my phone on me. We can get breakfast after."

"Please call my cell phone or call out to me if you encounter any problems. Since my father restored the angels after the fall, I am able to zap again, as Dean calls it."

"Okay. I'll do that. I'll be back before you know it."

* * *

Gwen stopped, breathing in the smell of the conifers. She was glad the case was near the Coranado National Forest instead of in the more desert region of the state. It was something about trees and prairie that called to her. Desert just depressed her. Unless it was enroute to Vegas, then she was all for it.

A branch broke to her left and she dropped to a crouch, reaching for her knife in it's thigh holster. She turned to see that instead of a person with intent to hurt her, it was simply a deer. The deer looked just as surprised to see her. She let her hand drop and slowly returned to standing. "Hello brother. Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you." She spoke softly.

The deer regarded her for a long moment before returning to it's search for something tasty to eat. She smiled, watching the majestic creature. When a case involved her having to hurt or even kill someone, she always felt a need to go back to nature to balance herself out. Her mother had called it recharging her spirit and had done the same herself.

She moved away slowly as to not startle the deer and disrupt his breakfast and continued on her way to where she'd stashed her ride out of sight of the house. Considering the predicament the two hunters and the angel had been in, she was glad she'd been so cautious about approaching the house.

A few minutes later, she found her motorcycle, undisturbed exactly where she had left it. She took her time in uncovering it, checking it for any potential damage or tampering before hopping on and starting it up. As usual, it purred like a tiger and she grinned, riding her way down the makeshift path that would take her to one of the main roads and then back to the hotel. As she had promised Castiel, she hadn't even come within sight of the house she had found him and the boys in. Not only that, she'd made excellent time. She'd be able to get back to the motel with plenty of time before the boys would want to head out for breakfast.

It was going to be a good day, she just had a feeling.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sam POV**

"Knock knock! You boys naked or what?"

Gwen's voice came through the connecting door between their rooms and the brothers didn't even have to look to each other before they answered in unison. "Completely."

The door burst open and Gwen pretended to have an expression of comical disappointment on her face as she looked between the two, Cass right behind her with a confused look. "Should have figured I wouldn't be that lucky. Friggin' teases." She admonished, a smile on her lips. "You guys do realize you are in Arizona right? In the desert? No need for 18 layers of flannel, jeez."

"Well I know I'd rather not distract anyone by showing off the guns, you know? I think you called it drawing unnecessary attention?" Dean quipped, whipping off his flannel and flexing in his tshirt. It was all Sam could do not to roll his eyes.

Gwen smirked in amusement and Cass actually did roll his eyes.

"Ready for breakfast? There's a diner down the street that looks pretty decent."

"Yes please, I'm starving." Sam pleaded. "Especially for something that doesn't come in a wrapper."

"Hey! You show some respect to the Egg McMuffin, dammit. That sandwich has been one of the backbones of this family along with alcohol and pie!"

Gwen laughed. "That's a strange combination, but okay. After we can head over to the house to do our investigating."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Dean headed for the door and held it open. "Ladies first."

"I'd say you have proper manners but I'm guessing it's an excuse to check out my ass." Gwen teased as she walked through the door, apparently knowing Dean better than he expected. "But it's a great ass, so I'll let it slide." With that, she all but sashayed out the door.

Sam shook his head and laughed as Dean grinned and covered his heart with one hand before following the Lakota woman. If Gwen kept this up, Dean was likely to throw her in the Impala and head for a drive thru wedding in Vegas.

 **Gwen POV**

The diner was a small local operation that looked like nearly every diner that she'd ever been in her entire life. Walking in the entrance, one was met with the display case of pies and cakes for sale with a register next to it. Dean was drawn to the pies and nearly had to be pulled away when they were told to seat themselves. To their right were booths and to the left, the counter with backless stools, each with a person seated on them eating breakfast. There was the low constant murmur of people talking and the clanking of silverware along with the very welcome smell of maple syrup and bacon.

They chose a booth and Gwen noticed that she hadn't been the only one closely observing the location and it's clientele. She had noted there was a single door that led to the kitchen and and emergency exit in the dining room beyond. Looking carefully, she noted that there were only humans surrounding them. It was ironic how she didn't think about it anymore, being able to see one's true face. On the rare occasion she worked with another hunter, she had to remember they couldn't see what she could.

Nodding to Sam who stepped to the side so she could slide into the booth, she spoke softly. "I don't see anything but some people who probably have bad cholesterol and high blood pressure."

"I agree." Castiel said in a low tone.

"Good, cuz I'm starvin' and if you think I'm not going to get one of those pies to go, you are nuts." Dean said before grabbing one of the menus on the table and flipping it open.

* * *

Gwen sighed. How long was it going to take to get some service around here? They hadn't even been asked what they wanted to drink. "What the hell?"

"I know, they've served just about everyone else." Sam said, looking around.

"Hold on." Dean waved to a male server. "Hey, buddy. Can we get served please? We've been ready since yesterday."

The server walked over with a look on his face like someone had left a table covered in actual shit. He took one look at her and the look worsened before he addressed Dean. What was that about? She'd observed him at other tables and he'd seemed perfectly pleasant and friendly. Now in addition to the sour look on his face, his aura was going from a spring green to a sick yellow color with red. Disgust and anger? Why? "I'm sorry sir but we can't serve everyone at your table here."

"What, you run out of plates or something?" Dean quipped but she could see his arm move minutely. He was getting ready in case this situation went south. Not every bad guy was a demon or monster. Sometimes the worst ones, the ones that really hurt you were human.

Gwen was confused and murmured under her breath to Sam, sitting next to her. "Something's wrong. His aura. Be ready."

He tapped his fingers on the table twice. He understood and moved just enough so he could tackle this guy if need be. Gwen was already planning on grabbing the tall man's shoulders and vaulting over him, hopefully to connect her feet with someone's face. Situations like this made her glad she'd listened to her mother and learned martial arts in addition to other training.

Looking to Castiel, the angel was staring at the server, puzzlement on his face. That was how she knew it was something strange but not necessarily life threatening. Castiel would have acted already.

"No, sir. The woman needs to leave. We only serve real Americans here."

Gwen could have fallen out of the booth in surprise. Far from a vampire or a demon or anything of the sort, it was good old fashioned racism. Fantastic. It'd been a while. "My people were here when yours were getting the Plague from fucking rats back in Europe. Try again, asshole."

"Whatever. We don't serve squaws or wetbacks, so sorry." He snipped back.

Later Gwen would have the chance to be impressed with how fast Dean moved. One moment he was sitting across from his brother, looking up at the server and the next he had the guy face first against the table, the back of the guy's shirt fisted tight in his hand and Sam had stood to back him up. "Excuse me? You want to repeat yourself, dickbag? I believe you were apologizing for making us wait and telling us about our free meals."

The guy gasped and she could see the edges of a tattoo on his arm when he tried to move. A swastika with an American flag. Fantastic. That almost guaranteed he had friends and they were close by if not in the diner already. "Pretty sure anything we got here would have a little extra something added. Like rat poison." She gestured to the arm and Dean made a face as he saw it before slamming the guy's face against the table again just out of principle.

"Don't even think about it." Sam threatened two guys who came out of the back of the restaurant, standing straighter and clenching his fists at his sides. "Not unless you want a trip to the hospital." His normally open and welcoming face was as hardened and serious as his brother's. She realized that they were pretty much in hunter mode. These racists had no idea what they were potentially messing with right now.

"Let's just go." Castiel said, a resigned look on his face. He looked at the server whose face was getting red from the way Dean was holding him against the table. "You should realize that your irrational hatred for people different from you comes from a deep seated self hatred. No doubt for your repressed homosexuality and overcompensation for an extremely small penis. I recommend speaking to a therapist."

Gwen managed not to laugh out loud even though she wanted to as she moved to stand by Sam who very gallantly was keeping her blocked from any attack, even going as far to keep one arm behind him to keep her covered with his own body. She knew he realized she was perfectly capable of defending herself but he didn't want her to have to. What made it even that much sweeter was that after Dean yanked the server off the table and tossed him to the floor none too gently, he and Castiel stood to either side and slightly behind her and they moved to the door like that. Bobby Singer would've been proud.

"You guys suck!" Dean shouted as they made their way out the door and to the sidewalk, all four ready for a potential brawl and staying on their toes. After a minute or so, it was obvious no one was coming out but just the same it didn't mean there wasn't phone calls going out to bring people in. They headed back in the direction of the motel. So much for a leisurely breakfast that didn't come from a place with a drive-thru.

"I'm so getting my arson on tonight, I swear to Chuck." Dean growled after a few minutes and they were a couple blocks away. He was still clenching his jaw and his eyes were narrowed and angry.

Gwen moved to grab Dean's still fisted hand and tugged so he leaned down and she kissed his stubbly cheek. "Thank you Dean. That's very sweet but not necessary." She appreciate him being so angry on her behalf. She felt bad that he wasn't going to get the pie that he'd been drawn to when they first went into the diner.

"I'd have to disagree. I wouldn't mind, as Dean would say, getting biblical on their asses."

Gwen and Sam both laughed at Castiel's blatant honesty. "Oh believe me. I wouldn't mind going back there and kicking their racist asses personally but it won't change their minds." She shrugged. "It's been a while since I've experienced that. Thank you boys, for going all protective. Makes a girl feel special."

"I'm just in shock that it happened." Sam said softly. "After everything we've seen and done to protect people, it just doesn't make sense to hate someone because of race. I mean, there's a strong chance that if you hadn't saved us yesterday, they'd all be dead because of those warlocks. You risked your own life to save us and them."

Gwen shrugged again. "Human nature. Their little minds would snap if they saw even a quarter of what we all saw on a daily basis. I mean, honestly, they had no idea that there was an angel right there. Or that you boys have saved the entire world how many times? Just happens that when you save the world, you end up saving guys like that." She tugged on his arm and gave him a kiss on the cheek as well. "Thanks for defending me just the same."

"And this is supposed to not make me want to burn their asses down?" Dean said gruffly.

"It's just the way things are. Not the first time I've had to deal with shit like that. You think all hunters are like you, willing to work with a woman, let alone a brown one? Yeah. Right. You guys met that jesus nut, right? Kubrick?"

Both men groaned. "Yeah, don't remind us. He was working with Gordon, tried to take Sammy out years ago."

"Yeah well let's just say I don't take very well to being preached to and told I'm and I quote, a dirty heathen whore who will burn end quote if I didn't accept christianity and stop using magic."

"Wait, did Kubrick try to gank you? Thinking you were a witch or something?"

"Yup. Pretty pathetic attempt. He got a broken arm and nose out of it. How the hell he survived as a hunter, I have no idea. Well, survived as long as he did that is." The now dead hunter could only see things in black or white. To him, any magic use was bad, it didn't matter how it was used or why. It was that narrow minded way of thinking that had gotten him killed.

"There are probably more failed hunters out there than we'll ever know about. What makes me sick is the people who suffer and die because they don't know what they're doing. Assmonkeys."

"Agreed. I'll give them a tiny bit of credit for wanting to take on the deep dark. Unless it's those Ghost Facer guys. They are complete morons and deserve to end up as the bitch of a poltergeist."

Sam gave her a supportive smile and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze. "I knew there was a reason we liked you. Excellent taste."


	6. Chapter 6

**Dean POV**

Dean made his way into the basement, his mind flashing back to being tossed down the stairs by the warlocks they'd just burned in the backyard with holy oil. Dicks. Apparently the town was full of dicks from their little experience at the diner that was still bugging him even hours later. Was it the experience itself or the way that it didn't seem to faze Gwen that bothered him? And why did he feel so protective of someone he just met? Well, met again. Was it because of her "relation" to Cass? The fact that she was a hunter too? He couldn't figure it out.

He found Gwen seated at a table, examining jars of both dry and wet spell ingredients, separating them in two groups after looking them over. "Hey Gwen. Find anything good down here that we could sell to the local high school kids?"

She gave him a smile that he would never admit to anyone made his knees a little weak. As much of a ladies man as he liked to portray himself, there wasn't anything quite like a beautiful woman with a genuine smile. Maybe it was the tiny part of him that actually kind of liked romance not that he'd ever ever admit to that, even if he was sent back to Hell. Part of him liked the fact that she called him on his bullshit but didn't take offense to it either. "No, nothing like that. Some very rare and very dangerous stuff. Some of it I don't even recognize and others I've only read about." Then her phone, which he hadn't seen began playing Back in Black. His interest was peaked. She had good taste in music. "Oh good, my expert." She accepted the call with what looked like a mischievous twist to her lips. "Yes Cookiebutt?"

There was a pause and then a voice Dean never thought he would hear respond to the name Cookiebutt. "Listen Tweety, every time you call me that..."

"Is that fucking Crowley?"

"Oh goodie. You teamed up with Moose and Squirrel." The exhausted sounding British voice was it's normal level of sarcastic. "Hello Dean."

One would think that dealing with the King of Hell might inspire fear or even trepidation. Hell, he was a fucking demon, that had to count for something right? But no. Gwen was there nearly crying with silent laughter. Laughter that was only silent because she'd slapped both of her hands over her mouth to muffle what probably would have been peeling giggles. "Oh my god your face, Dean. Oh my. Oh that was perfect."

He sighed, putting his fingertips to his forehead. "Crowley, do you have something to contribute?"

"Yes Dean, I do. As I was about to tell Gwen, a good number of those herbs are for the darkest of magics. To be honest, I didn't think they existed anymore, they are that rare."

"How dark are we talking?" Gwen asked, her face growing serious. "Like end the world dark or create an epidemic dark?"

"Dark enough that I don't think my mother would make use of them."

"Oooh." Dean said at the same time with Gwen. Apparently she either met Rowena or heard of her. "So where'd these jerkoffs get them?"

"I don't know and since someone had to go all Pocohontas Warlock Slayer on them, its not like we can ask them, now can we?"

"Umm hi, you are the king of hell. They were evil and probably killed a few people including the real owners of this house. Don't you have a new arrivals section? Go check there. Look for souls that have size 7 boot imprints in their asses. And stab wounds."

Crowley snorted, actually snorted in response. "That's brilliant, darling. Wonderful. DON'T YOU THINK I LOOKED?"

"Hey. Hey. Calm down. No need to get your horns in a twist. I'm teasing you. They weren't in hell?"

"No love. Which begs the question, if you are evil and don't go to hell, where do you potentially end up?"

Dean couldn't help but mentally flinch, thinking of the place but he was surprised to see Gwen almost physically twitch, her eyes growing wide. "Purgatory? Fuck! I hate that place." She looked to Dean and shook her head, mouthing the word later to him. So he wasn't the only one who'd been there and back? Had she been to hell too? "Is there a way to check without actually going?"

"I'm going to see if I can't get Mother to find a spell for that. Or create one. Anything to keep that woman busy and away from me. In the meantime, I'd make sure those ingredients don't get out of your possession. Something tells me someone like Lucifer or worse could find them very useful."

"Shit. Okay. Can you find out a safe way to store them or better yet dispose of them? I'm going to wager just flushing them or burning them would be a bad idea."

"Always were a bright one, weren't you love? I'll let you know what I find out. Dean, you and Moose had best be burning down that bloody diner or I will. Let me know, I'll send up a demon with a gift wrapped box of hellfire for you."

"Uhh, thanks?" Apparently Gwen had told him about the racist diner and Crowley actually had a similar reaction to what he had. Dean didn't know whether to find solidarity in that or feel sick that he yet again had something in common with a demon.

"It's what I'm here for. Ta, darlings!"

Gwen ended the call with a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So I guess we're in a deeper mess together than we all thought."

Dean nodded, moving to join her at the table, choosing to straddle the bench rather than sit at it. "That's the story of my life. So you think he'll send the hellfire? That could be a stress reducer. A real bonding activity."

She chuckled and shook her head. "Lucky me, I have a vengeful demon, angel and 2 hunters who feel a need to defend my honor. Of course, you could just ask me and I would say we go the less destructive route and call down some federal law boys who owe me a few favors and clean the town out that way. Less collateral damage than hellfire."

He smirked, The Smirk. There was no way she would be able to withstand The Smirk. "Not as satisfying."

"Oh you men. Always about the quick release." She sighed, turning her head and giving him a definite look. A look that he was convinced began with a quick glance to his mouth that she thought he hadn't seen. Oh he had seen. "Sometimes you have to work at it. You know, really earn it. Then the payoff is that much better and long lasting."

Then she did one of the truly most evil things a woman could do. She looked him right in the eye and bit her bottom lip.

Dean opened his mouth to say something he had a feeling would probably get him slapped but he was pretty damn sure she was flirting with him but Sam interrupted, calling down from the top of the stairs. "Hey guys, we think we found their spell book. Cass wants you to take a look, Gwen."

She gave him this little smirk and a raised eyebrow before answering his brother. "Thanks Sam, we'll be right up."

 **Gwen POV**

Following Sam to the second floor, she could almost feel Dean's eyes burning a hole in her back. She had no idea what possessed her to be so blatantly flirtatious but it'd been a thrill she hadn't had in a while. She had a feeling she had him thrown in more way than one and that was a thrill too. The legendary Dean Winchester was flummoxed by what Bobby Singer had once teased her as, the Little Lakota Huntress.

She wasn't kidding though, she was incredibly flattered at how personally offended both the brothers felt about the racist diner and how Crowley had checked to see if any of his demons were in the area. She had a feeling Castiel was more puzzled by it than offended, not truly understanding it because to him, a human was a human was a human. She'd put a call through to Smitty at the Phoenix field office. He owed her after that Shifter she saved his life from in Las Vegas.

"Gwen, good. I believe these warlocks were up to more than any of us believed initially." Castiel said as they entered the room where he was standing before a huge ancient looking spellbook. With the absence of a lecturn or stand, a tall dresser had had been cleaned off via someone just knocking everything on top to the ground to place the book. At Castiel's feet she saw many broken picture frames and various knickknacks.

She stopped short, as she began to feel the back of her neck crawl just looking at the oversized spellbook. "Okay, that thing is giving me the wiggins and I'm almost 10 feet away from it." She looked to Dean and Sam who were confused. Dean had gone over to look at the book himself while Sam was closer to her, going through other papers he'd found. "You don't feel that?"

"They aren't as in tune to magic as you are. I believe it's warded against angels as well." Castiel held up his hand that looked badly burned and she noticed he opened the book with what looked like a pen to avoid touching it further. "I don't think it would be advisable for you to attempt to touch it."

She swallowed down the nausea just being in the room with the book caused and stepped forward as much as she could. Castiel didn't look like he was feeling so hot either. "Oh come on, it's made of skin too? Ugh I fucking hate these warlocks. I want to kill them again."

Dean shared a look with Sam. "Made of skin? Just like the Book of the Damned."

Her eyes widened and she felt herself growing dizzy. "Wait, you've seen the Book of the Damned?"

"Yep. Used it too once we had the codex to it. It was a whole thing last year." Dean volunteered. His eyes narrowed, looking at her critically now instead of with the intrigue down in the basement. "Gwen? How much is this book affecting you? You don't look too good."

"Gee Dean, that's what every girl..." She wanted to say wants to hear but her vision began to gray and she felt her legs give out. So much for a tough huntress.

"Sam!" Dean's voice shouted and she felt two strong arms stop her from falling onto the floor. At least she had that much going for her at the moment.

"Gwen, let me..." Castiel began to say, though Gwen was finding it hard to concentrate through the pounding headache, dizziness and nausea.

"Cass! Damn it!" There was the sound of stumbling and a grunt from Castiel. Apparently he was being affected as well.

"Sam, get her out of here. Cass, I got you. We need something to put this friggin' book in. It's gotta come with us. We can't just leave it here."

She wanted to say something but she had a feeling that the Egg McMuffin and orange juice she'd had on their way here would make a reappearance if she tried. All that came out was a low groan.

"Gwen, it's okay. We're going to get you out of here." She felt herself being carefully lifted up by strong arms and sighed as she felt the ill feeling lessening with each step Sam took away from the book. Just the same, complete unconsciousness would feel much better.

"Cass, just hold on buddy. We're going outside, fresh air. Just a few more steps."

"I'm more concerned with Gwen. She didn't touch the book like I did." Castiel's voice was strained but stronger than anything she felt she could give at the moment. "Dean, you need a pure iron box. We may need to contact Crowley and Rowena for assistance."

"Let me look first, Cass!" Dean growled. "Let's get you two situated. We don't even know if being outside is going to be enough."

Gwen felt herself being put down but not entirely. She was laying on the grass but still being held up in Sam's arms. She took as deep a breath as she could and could feel whatever it was ebbing away, like a headache when the medication kicked in. The pounding in her head lingered. She pressed her hands into the grass, into the soil and concentrated on that pure earth life force just like her grandmother had shown her. The idea of the force wasn't entirely created by George Lucas. It wasn't a cure but it helped.

"Sweetheart, here. Drink some water. Just a little, okay?"

She opened her eyes to see Dean looking very concerned. She was pretty sure he hadn't even noticed his use of a pet name. "I'm okay Dean, really." She said softly, still feeling a bit nauseous. She was thankful now that she'd run into the boys. If she'd been alone finding that book, she wondered if it could have killed her with extended proximity.

"You nearly passed out. That's not fine." He growled. "Drink."

"Don't bother arguing with him, Gwen. He's right. Drink some water, but slowly." Sam added, sitting her up more so she was leaning against him more than being held up by him.

She smiled a little and took a slow long drink of the very soothing water. Why was it so soothing? Then she realized. "Do you guys keep a case of bottled holy water in your car?" Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference but she always could, even more since she had been bonded with Bria's grace.

"Never know when it might come in handy." Dean quipped, squatted down next to her opposite of Castiel who had his own bottle. The angel looked as embarrassed as she felt to have been felled by a book. She'd fought demons, vampires and some stuff that didn't have names. What takes her down? A book. "I had a feeling the little extra would help get that whatever it was out of you." His eyes softened and she was almost lost in their hazel depths. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Castiel and I need to stay away from that book until it's cleared or something. Whatever is in it, they don't want anyone with wings to be able to see it. Or anyone even with a touch of angel." She paused. "Something that heavily guarded against angels can't be good."

"Especially since Crowley said he hadn't found the warlocks you ganked in Hell."

"Wait, wouldn't that put them in Purgatory then? Maybe they weren't entirely human." Sam added, having not been there for the conversation with Crowley.

"I always fight with silver or iron, so they were going down no matter what. I had no reason to think they weren't human. They died like any human would, no zapping out like a demon or the flashbang of an angel. Crowley sounded a bit baffled by the ingredients even existing that I sent him pictures of." She took another drink of the water, finding it ironic that she'd used it so many times as a weapon and here it was healing her.

"This is much bigger than we assumed." Castiel, added just to be his redundant self. It was comforting to know that years may have passed with monumental events but somethings never changed.

"That much is very true." Gwen said, leaning over and reaching for his burned hand and pouring the holy water over it while chanting a healing spell. It made her feel a little dizzy at the effort but she didn't care about that when it came to helping Castiel. His hand healed immediately. "Better?"

He nodded. "Yes, thank you."

Dean held out a hand to help her up and waited a minute so she could get her footing. "Come on, sit in the car and rest a minute."

"Dean, I'm fine."

"Gwen, I'm making the effort of asking. Okay? I have no problem throwing you over my shoulder if I have to."

She couldn't help but smile, turning her head to see Sam barely hiding a smile of his own . "Promises, promises. Okay. Just a minute."

Sam helped her walk since her balance wasn't 100% and led her over to the classic car where Dean had already opened the driver's side backseat door. She sat down and took a deep breath. She hadn't had a reaction like that to a cursed or magicked item in years if ever. She looked up at Sam who gave her a friendly wink before moving to help Castiel over to the car where he just leaned against the wheel well by her rather than move around to sit. He touched her shoulder and she looked up to see concern in his eyes. She put her hand over his and gave it a squeeze. He kept his hand there for a moment more before removing it.

"Shut up and listen you limey shit! We found the book or whatever these pricks were using but it put the whammy on Cass and Gwen." Dean was already on his cell phone talking to Crowley who had apparently made the best deal of his unholy career to have cell coverage in Hell. He was facing away from them but the irritation in his voice plus the way he was waving his free hand told her the hunter had a rather bumpy relationship with the King of Hell. "It burned him and made him sick, made her pass out. They got better when we got them away from the book. We need an iron lined box..."

Dean didn't even finish his sentence because standing mere feet away was the King of Hell himself in his usual black suit, holding what was probably the iron box Dean had asked for. "Here. Make yourself useful, Squirrel." The demon said dismissively, almost shoving the large box into his hands and making him fumble not to drop his cellphone before moving where she was sitting. "Decided to make like a canary in a coal mine, eh?"

She chuckled at that, shaking her head before nodding it to Sam and Dean to let them know it was okay to take care of the book with Crowley there. They shared a look before heading into the house together. "I'm fine."

"And you are an awful liar pet." He gave her as soft a look as he was capable, touching her chin and making her look up at him before turning and looking at Castiel with something almost like disgust. His hand dropped from her chin and clenched in a fist. "Bloody stupid angel. The damned thing burns you, you don't think to wonder what it might do to a human with angel bits?"

"Crowley, stop. None of us knew." She reached out and put her hand on the demon's arm. She wasn't going to let this get nasty, even if she felt like crap. "You know I've had worse."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"You're a demon, it's expected." Castiel said dryly. He looked down to Gwen. "How much worse are you referring to?"

She sighed. "I don't want to talk about it right now, Castiel. Please?"

His eyes narrowed and then he let out a breath. "We will discuss this later."

She gave him a smile. "Yes Dad."

That earned her a roll of the eyes from both the angel and demon which amused her greatly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sam POV**

Sam followed Dean up into the house to where they'd left the book, carrying the iron box that had been brought by a very concerned Crowley who was currently sitting with Cass and Gwen outside. Just what had happened when Crowley had been at the Three Meadows Reservation that had him truly caring for a human, let alone a hunter with the essence of an angel?

"I don't like this Sam. Any of it."

"Me either. I don't think I've seen Crowley move to help us that fast ever. I'm a little offended."

"It's not just that. It's this whole situation. Who was the psychic that sent Gwen down here? What about the case we started with? That whole thing just vanished, like it was lure to get us here. Why haven't we seen anyone use that whammy spell before? Why haven't we ever run into Gwen before or heard about her from another hunter? Why didn't Bobby ever mention her or try to get her to help us when we were struggling? Why the hell does Crowley care so much about her? What the hell could be in that book that would knock both Gwen and Cass on their asses? Why would someone be that adamant that angels not be able to look at their spells?"

"Dean! Stop. You're gonna give yourself an embolism or something." Sam had all the same questions and knew Dean had only begun with all that there were.

Dean growled in frustration as they entered the room from before and used the bedding to wrap the book and then place it in the iron box. "Too many questions, Sammy. I don't like this."

"We'll figure it out. Why don't we settle what we do know?" He sat down on the now stripped bed, resting his elbows on his thighs, weaving his fingers together and letting them rest between his knees. Better to get this taken care of now so he could hopefully calm Dean down enough so he didn't start demanding answers from the woman, angel and demon downstairs.

Dean breathed in through his nose and began to pace but was obviously consciously keeping his steps slow and measured. "Alright. Start."

"First, those warlocks weren't human. Otherwise their souls would be in hell and Crowley would have found them. Just the same, they were disguising themselves as human as a distraction."

"Agreed."

"Second, whoever the warlocks were, they were up to something that was anti-angel. Something big that we've never encountered before and that Cass hasn't encountered either."

"Right." Dean turned on his heel, his eyes looking to the iron box holding the dangerous book before he started another lap.

"Third, Crowley seems to have grown a heart without being addicted to human blood and didn't bother to tell us."

"Dude, right? It's freakin' weird." Dean stopped pacing. "What about how the book took her out faster than it did Cass? Wouldn't it hurt a full angel more?"

Sam paused and thought about it. "Well, maybe it took her out because a full angel is stronger than a human, even one able to look upon an angel's true form or one bonded with an angel. It burned Cass' hand pretty bad but he's also not an ordinary angel considering how many times he's been brought back from oblivion and death. That and he's a bit more stubborn about any injuries he gets."

"Wow, I wonder where he got that from." Dean quipped, the two sharing a smile. "Alright, so what's our next move?"

"I think get out of here. Grab everything that is potentially useful and head back to the Bunker and start some major research. It's the safest place to keep the book and the ingredients right now."

Dean nodded, carefully pacing the length of the room again. "We trust Gwen, right?" There was hesitance in his voice and Sam knew Dean liked Gwen and the last thing he wanted was to be blind to someone's true intentions. Sam had learned that lesson very painfully from Ruby.

"Yeah Dean. I don't see why not. I mean, sure we just met her, well met her again yesterday. She did save our asses. Castiel trusts her and we trust him. If there was anything remotely questionable about her, he would have said something or we would have noticed it."

His brother was quiet for long moments before speaking, hands on his hips, his eyes apparently examining the floorboards. "I think she's been to Purgatory, Sam. And not a quick trip like you had. I'm talking like when Cass and I were there. Crowley brought it up and she said she hated that place and just the way she said it tells me it's from personal experience. How long was she there? Does Cass know she's been there?" He ran his hand through his hair. "I have too many questions, Sammy. It's making me crazy."

"You were crazy before this. We'll figure it out. We always do. Let's just take it one step at a time. Let's get this out into the Impala's trunk so Cass and Gwen can help us get the other warlock stuff together."

 **Gwen POV**

"Hey Gwen, how'd you get down here anyway? You didn't mention a car or anything." Sam asked as the woman double checked the motel bathroom for anything left behind. They'd gathered everything from the house that was potentially of use and then did their best to make it uninhabitable both physically and with sigils. It'd been interesting to see Castiel in his vessel using his angelic powers to effectively smite a house while Crowley worked on the demon side of things to do the same before he left.

It was late to be leaving but didn't want to press their luck with the potential of more racist residents. The last thing Gwen wanted was to potentially have to take on a group of supremacists when she wasn't feeling 100% or risk Sam or Dean getting hurt because they felt an obligation to protect her. She hadn't known them very long but their actions at the diner that morning and the house that afternoon told her all she needed to know.

"No I brought my bike. My motorcycle." She amended. "It's parked outside." She was glad now that she'd gone out that morning to get it considering what had happened at the house. Just to think, she'd thought today was going to be a good day. Went to show that she was far from being any kind of psychic, that was for sure.

"Wait wait wait. That classic Harley outside is yours?" Dean all but threw himself physically into the room and the conversation from the doorway connecting the rooms. His eyes were wide and hopeful.

"Yes?" She was confused. Was there a reason it shouldn't be? "It was my dad's. I got it when I turned 15."

"That's it. I have no choice now. That's the final straw." Dean sighed in a fake resigned tone as he walked over and dropped to a knee. "Marry me?"

She couldn't help but let out the giggle that bubbled up, Sam again hiding a smile, this time behind his hand and Castiel looking on with an almost exhausted annoyance. "Oh Dean, I doubt very very much you could handle me." She gave his cheek a pat with her hand, his seemingly perpetual 5 o'clock shadow pleasantly rough against her hand. As much as he had been through over the years, there was still that glimmer of hope and light that was at the very center of his being. She could see it shining brighter in that moment in his grass green aura that now had little sparks of blue that she read as being playfulness. "But you are very sweet."

"Aww come on! I could make you happy! Give it a shot!"

"Dean, is this really the time for your...shenanigans?" Castiel asked with what seemed to be his usual monotone.

The man's head dropped and he popped back up to his feet, a grin on his face. "Cass, I wouldn't be me without my shenanigans. You should know that by now. And more than that, you enjoy my shenanigans, don't lie." He threw her a wink before grabbing her overnight bag, sitting on the bed. "We good to go?"

They headed outside to where Dean matter of fact put Gwen's bag in the backseat of the Impala, an equally classic vehicle. She'd been impressed by it when she'd first ridden in it the day before. "So does she have a name? My bike's name is Beauty. Thought it appropriate since it's not exactly feasible for me to ride a horse like a true Lakota. That's my grandmother's words, not mine."

Dean grinned as he turned. "Formal introductions! Yes! Beauty meet Baby. Baby, this is Beauty."

Sam was shaking his head but still smiling. It was remarkable after hearing about just the barest beginnings of what their lives had been since she first met them over 20 years ago that either could still smile and still laugh. Many hunters she met who'd been at it as long as Sam and Dean were rare and made hard and bitter by the work. Like Dean's aura had playfulness in it, Sam's more caramel colored aura had bits of bright yellow in it. Affection for the brother he loved so much that he'd managed to fight back Lucifer and sacrifice himself to save him.

"Gwen, are you feeling well enough to ride...Beauty on your own? I would feel more comfortable if you rode in the Impala. We don't know if there are any lingering aftereffects from the spellbook." Castiel spoke up once she moved toward the bike. There was concern and hesitance in his voice.

She paused. "You think there could be?"

"I do not know, I've never encountered anything like it before."

"Actually, Cass has a point, Gwen." Sam spoke up. "Do you mind someone else riding your bike? At least till we know you are 100%?" There was that protective instinct showing through.

"I have no problem with it."

"DIBS!" Dean all but shouted jumping in the air in his excitement. "Me me me!"

Gwen couldn't help the laughter that came from her lips at the absolute giddy child Dean was in that moment. It was a thing of beauty considering the serious angry side of him that seemed to be dominant. It seemed to be the simple pleasures of life that really made him happy. A full stomach, good music and a chance to ride a classic Harley. "Okay, alright. We can stop halfway and Sam can ride if he wants."

The taller man nodded. "Thanks. That'd be cool."

"Can we please just go?"

Almost as if they had planned it, all three replied to the angel's frustrated request with, "Yes, Dad."

 **Castiel POV**

Castiel looked out the window of the convenience store, not unlike the one he'd worked at when he was human. Gwen was sitting on the hood of the Impala, talking to Sam while he filled the car with gas. He was still taken aback at how he could have ever forgotten her and felt a deep anger for Naomi and the others like her who had manipulated him so completely. How many times had Gwen cried out for him, prayed for his help, his guidance and he hadn't heard her? What kind of guardian angel could be made to forget his charge?

He mourned for the loss of his siblings, especially his sister angel, Briathos. She had been a good soldier, much like he had been but part of another garrison. He wished there was a way he could thank her for saving Gwen, for giving him this chance to be in her life again. To try, if he could, to make up for all those years he hadn't been there.

"Cass? You okay man?"

He turned to see Dean pursuing the baked goods and standing right near the pies. As usual. He grabbed a pecan pie with a pleased smile before turning around. "I'm lost in my thoughts."

"Care to share?"

Cass raised his eyebrow. Dean wasn't one for "sharing".

The man sighed and shook his head. "Come on, I'm trying here. Okay? You two being reunited is like if my mom suddenly walked in that door or something. What, are you worried she's angry at you for leaving?"

The angel shook his head. "No, she isn't. I explained as best I could what happened with Naomi. The ways I was...manipulated." He paused, trying not to think of the brief memories he had regained of the process that had violated his mind and his willpower. "She was understanding much like you and Sam were. No anger."

"And that bothers you?"

"It confuses me."

Dean leaned against the shelving that reached to his chest, rested his arms on the boxes of cookies and crackers before clasping his hands together, having put down his basket by his feet. "Cass, first of all, all women are going to be confusing. You should know that by now. Second, Gwen's pretty damned smart. There wasn't anything you could have done that would have changed what happened. Stop blaming yourself when you were the victim."

"Sounds like something you should say to yourself from time to time." It was one of Dean's best and worst qualities, the standard he held himself up to. No matter what he did, how much he sacrificed, he kept raising the standards. Not much had changed in the years since Castiel had first rescued him from Hell. Dean still did not find himself worth saving.

"We're not talking about me. How about I help you out? Now come on, do you remember anything she liked when she was a kid? A drink or a candy or something? I bet she'd get a kick out of that."

Castiel thought about it. "She enjoyed chocolate. Hershey's I think. And she enjoyed M&Ms." He concentrated more, his mind filling with images of the woman in the car, laughing at something Sam was talking about with ridiculous gestures as a small girl, her black hair in braids tied with ribbon. "Cherry cola. She liked the bubbles."

Dean gave him a smile that somehow comforted Castiel, made him feel pride at remembering small details about the child he'd been guardian for so many years ago. "That's good buddy. Grab that stuff and meet me at the counter."

* * *

Castiel held the bag of his purchases behind his back, hoping that Gwen would have the reaction to the gesture like Dean had predicted she might. Dean had thrown the keys to the motorcycle to his brother, telling him what route they were taking to The Bunker as well as to be careful. The motorcycle, he claimed, was a true beast. Apparently this was a compliment from the grin Gwen had on her face and the look of anticipation on Sam's before he took off, the motorcycle roaring into the night.

Sliding down from the hood of the car, Gwen tilted her head in a way that she had when she was little and trying to figure something out. "Castiel, what are you hiding behind your back?"

"Oh that, I thought you might like a treat. You enjoyed these when you were little. I thought maybe you still did."

Her eyes widened and he held open the bag for her. It held two large bags of M&Ms, plain and peanut butter, four Hershey bars and two bottles of Cherry Coke. "Oh Castiel." She put one hand to her mouth, her voice quiet.

"You don't like them anymore?" He tried not to show his disappointment but his shoulders did not want to cooperate and slumped. "I can get you something else..."

He wasn't able to finish his sentence because Gwen all but threw herself into his arms, giving him just a moment to react and not fall over. Dean thankfully had the quick reflexes to grab the bag dangling from his one hand, mouthing the words, told you so, before getting into the Impala. Castiel wrapped his arms around Gwen, remembering how he had wished he could have when she was a child. He was so very old, created before the dawn of man but this moment was one of his best in all those years.

"Don't you dare. It's perfect. Thank you." Her arms were tight around him and it made him happy. Truly joyous. He couldn't help but tighten his arms around her just that much more. "You're the best."

"I try."

She giggled and pulled away, giving him a kiss to the cheek and a happy smile. "Come on, before Dean leaves without us."


	8. Chapter 8

**Dean POV**

Dean looked in the rearview, able to see Gwen curled up in the backseat asleep thanks to the few streetlights of downtown Lebanon Kansas. She'd boldly taken his flannel not long after they stopped for snacks to use as a blanket. Made sense, she was tiny enough for it to work. Cass had silently given her his signature trenchcoat which she was now using as a pillow. He wished he could have taped the way she had reacted to her childhood favorites when the angel had surprised her with them. He knew he'd given Cass a hard time a lot over the last few years but it was really good to see him that happy. The guy deserved it.

"I appreciate you showing concern for Gwen earlier because of the book, Dean." Cass spoke quietly so as to not wake Gwen up. He'd almost wondered why the angel had decided to take the long way back to the Bunker with them rather than zap himself there now that he had the ability back. But he'd quickly realized that it had given him time to spend with Gwen and he was taking full advantage of the opportunity.

"I was worried about you too, ya know."

"I know." The angel was quiet for a few minutes. "Are you angry I never talked about Gwen to you?"

Dean shook his head, seeing Sam on the motorcycle not that far ahead. They were just outside where the Bunker was, where home was. The thought still felt strange. Home. "I was at first, to tell the truth. But I get you didn't have a choice with what was done to you. It must have been something when you suddenly remembered her."

"It was. Like a flood of light in a dark room." He turned his head to look on the sleeping woman. "And it is like no time has past but again, like more than 24 years have passed." He turned back to Dean. "Is it strange I still see the little girl I knew in the woman?"

Dean smiled. This was an aspect of Castiel that he never really thought he'd see. Cass the dad. He hadn't even been like this with Claire Novac. There it had been more about feeling responsible because he'd inadvertently caused the death of Claire's father. "No, it's not. I still see Sam as my baby brother even though he's an overgrown adult. It's part of being family. You were practically her dad, that's how most dads think of their daughters. No matter what, she'll always be your little girl." And part of him thought back to the few moments he got to see Emma as a toddler, not knowing she was his daughter. That was how he preferred to remember probably the closest he'd ever get to having children. That cute little toddler who'd smiled at him while standing in her crib.

It was strange that it wasn't until Sam took Emma out in order to save him that he realized that he actually liked the idea of being a dad with a kid who was actually his. It didn't change how he felt for Lisa's son Ben or the time that he got to act as a father figure for the kid but if he was completely honest with himself, there'd always be that gap between them because he wasn't Ben's dad and because he was a hunter.

Again, the angel was quiet. "I suppose that analogy is accurate though I am not her biological kin. I have known her since before she was born. Assisted her mother and grandmother as best I could with raising her by helping her with her abilities. It helped that they also were able to look upon me and hear my true voice."

"And you love her." Dean said, looking away from the road and to the pensive angel in the passenger seat. "Sammy and I always thought we were the ones that led you down the road toward Free Will but I think she had a big hand in that. No matter how much they messed with your melon, they didn't erase her entirely or how she affected who you are. Even if we weren't around and you had been ordered to take her out, I don't think you could have done that."

"No, no I couldn't." He paused and looked into the backseat with a fondness Dean was almost jealous of. Had his father ever looked at him or Sam like that? Maybe before Azazel came into their lives back in Lawrence. Maybe when they weren't looking. "The other angels...they would consider this...affection, this love, an abomination. It was a small miracle that Michael tolerated it enough to allow me to say goodbye to her."

Dean rolled his eyes. "And they are a bunch of dicks, Cass. Old Mikey had his moment but that's it. Love is never a bad thing. Didn't Chuck want you guys to love humanity? And what did most of the angels do? The opposite."

"You make a good point, Dean."

"Thank you. It doesn't happen that often, but on occasion, I have a good thought or two." He drove for a few minutes before asking the question that was on his mind. "How come Sam and I never ran into her? I mean, she's a hunter and hunters aren't exactly a big group."

"She isn't a hunter in the way you and Sam are. Her people call it being a Protector. She doesn't seek out cases but watches out for them when they get too close to the reservation or when something happens that is a potential threat. It's a tradition going with her people for thousands of years. It was that there was a protector in every tribe. Revered and respected, even when the tribes were fighting each other. Different from the Judeo-Christian community that prosecuted anyone who had extra perception or abilities."

Dean nodded, turning onto the road that would lead to the garage for the Bunker. How many people who'd simply been born able to see like Gwen did were burned as witches in Europe or accused of witchcraft in America? "And now since there are so few Natives left, Gwen is one of the few protectors around."

"Exactly."

"Plus the fact that white hunters from the moment they landed on American shores assumed we were demons or witches and purposely worked to wipe us out. Without us, many tribes fell victim to the very things they should have been protected from. Wendigos, vampires and werewolves." Gwen's voice spoke up with a sadness from the backseat before she sat up and moved up closer to the front seat.

"I don't even know what to say to that." Dean said, knowing that over the years he'd made quite a few wrong assumptions about people. He thought back to his grandfather Samuel bragging about how the Campbell family had been hunting in America since the time of the Mayflower. How many Protectors had that side of his blood killed out of pure ignorance?

"Nothing to say." Gwen shrugged before moving to actually put on his flannel. "Are we almost there? Did I sleep long?" She fought back a yawn, still waking up.

Dean let Cass do the talking, telling her about how the Bunker was just outside the small town of Lebanon and she'd only slept a few hours. He was glad he knew the route to the Bunker by heart because he couldn't take his eyes off the sight of this woman doing something as simple as wearing his shirt like it was her own. It was huge on her but it looked fucking sexy as hell.

"Here it is, the entrance to the garage anyway. The outside isn't much to look at anyway, it's how it's managed to stay hidden for so long." He managed to say giving Sam a wave from there he was standing after pulling the camouflaged door aside to let the Impala in, Gwen's bike idling beside him.

"The Winchester Bat Cave. Cool."

He snickered, his mind going back to that time with the actual lucky rabbit's foot and his declaration to a rather unlucky Sam that he was Batman. "Pretty much yeah."

"Don't even say I'm Alfred. I am not Alfred." Cass spoke quickly, making Dean laugh right outloud and affectionately shove the angel on the arm. He might be one of the most awkward people he'd ever met, but there were times that Cass really managed to throw out a good one.

Gwen laughed but sounded surprised from the backseat. "You know about Batman, Castiel? I'm shocked!"

"I know many things. I watch Netflix and Youtube." The angel informed her with a tone of pride.

"You never cease to amaze me, that much is very true." Dean pulled into the parking spot for the Impala as she sat forward and placed a kiss to the angel's temple. He knew Cass would never cop to it, but he closed his eyes with happiness right then. Something told Dean that little moment would be a happy memory for him too, even just witnessing it. It was good to know there was someone else out there who cared for their resident angel like they did.

He turned off Baby and they all got out, Sam having just parked Beauty across the way with the bikes the Men of Letters had left behind and made his way over to them. He tossed the keys to Gwen who caught them without effort. "Welcome to the Bunker." Sam said with a wave of his hand. "Have you ever heard of the Men of Letters?"

"Vaguely. My people weren't too upset when they were apparently wiped out in the 1950s or 60s. Let's just say they didn't have a very progressive view about women or Natives or anything that wasn't white and Judeo-Christian. We had our share of run-ins with them. It was a very uneasy situation of you leave us alone and we'll leave you alone."

"Yeah, I've seen a bit of that in their research. Sorry. Dean and I are legacies. Our grandfather, John's dad, was an initiate when Abaddon wiped them out. He managed to survive and we got to spend a few days with him before she caught up."

Gwen made a face like she felt she'd stuck her foot in her mouth. "Yikes. I kind of feel bad now. No one deserves a fate like that. At least she's gone for good."

Dean nodded, absently rubbing at his arm where the Mark had been.

"I think I should go back to Heaven. Angel Radio has been quiet, more than normal, and someone else might know about these warlocks there." Cass spoke up, shrugging on the trenchcoat handed to him by Gwen. "I'm curious as to if I would be able to bring you with me, given you are bonded with the grace of Briathos."

She raised an eyebrow. "Wait, go to heaven?" She looked to the brothers. "I...I don't know about that. I mean, the other angels might not...like that Bria sacrificed herself for me or that Jeremiah and Ruth chose to stay at Three Meadows. They might blame me for the Darkness taking them too."

Dean knew she was pulling that excuse out of her finely shaped ass but he didn't call her out on it. She had said she had some of Briathos' memories. Did she remember heaven? Was she afraid of running into angels that Briathos had been close to? "Let's keep Gwen's angel extras as quiet as we can for now. It might end up being a good ace up our sleeve. Besides, we should show her around the bunker, wait and see if Crowley found anything."

Castiel nodded. "That sounds like a good plan. I shouldn't be gone long. If you need me, I'll be here as quickly as I can."

"Be safe up there. Don't let them push you around." Gwen told the angel that was probably billions of years old but at times was essentially still a baby in a trench coat. She adjusted that coat, looking up at Cass with affection. "I'll kick their asses myself if they mess with you."

He gave her a little smile and gave her hand a squeeze as he gently removed her hands from his coat. "That is something I think I'd enjoy watching. Be careful down here too." He looked up. "Dean, Sam."

Dean knew there was more in that look than the normal, please don't get yourselves killed again, I'll be right back. This time, he was silently asking them to keep Gwen safe for him. "We got it here, man. Go bother the bird cage."

And like that, Cass was gone.

"Should we get the book out? Is there a super protected area in this place for stuff like that?" Gwen asked, looking back to the Impala. Dean could hear the hesitance in her voice. He knew he bothered her that a book had taken her down so easily. It'd bother the hell out of him, he knew that.

"Sammy and I will get it out later. Until we know how to defuse it or whatever, you shouldn't go near it. Let's show you around."

 **Gwen POV**

Gwen was more than a little impressed by the facility the Winchesters called The Bunker. It literally was a bunker but it was so much more than that. She wouldn't mind having something like it back on the Rez to be honest. The protected shelters they had were nothing compared to this. She'd gotten an affectionate hug around the shoulder from Sam when they'd walked into the library and she'd said she felt like Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Dean had just rolled his eyes. It was frustrating too because the Men of Letters had horded all this information and knowledge for themselves. How many people could have been saved if this knowledge had been shared or they hadn't been quite so secret and exclusionary?

The living facilities were rather basic and functionary, styled like when they were built, somewhere in the late 1930s she'd guess. The boys had made their additions, specifically modern computers, big screen televisions and the like. The armory was rather impressive and she'd noticed more than one weapon stashed in nearly every room. She wondered how much of that was the Men of Letters and just how much were Winchester improvements. The washer and dryer were obviously Winchester improvements. Probably Sam's.

In what Dean called the War Room, she'd been immediately drawn to a wall that was filled with pictures. Some of the people she recognized and others not so much. She had a feeling this wall was meant to be inspiration, the reason they kept fighting. She smiled at a picture of Bobby taken surrounded by various dusty tomes, hard at work with his old beat up trucker hat on. Another had him actually smiling with Dean and Sam close to the age they'd been when she met them the first time. She missed the gruff hunter and his sarcastic but sage advice.

Another was of a tiny Dean holding a very tiny Sam, beaming up at the camera. The picture had to have been taken before their mother had been killed from the look of their ages. She felt sad for the boys in the picture because their lives would change forever in just an instant and never go back.

"Oh my god, look at you two!" She gushed, choosing to focus on the positive as she pointed at the picture. "This is adorable."

"Again with the adorable." Dean groused.

"I don't know what you are so grumpy about. I know was a cute baby." Sam said proudly.

"It's just amazing to think you were that tiny once." Gwen teased, turning back to the wall. Another picture nearby, though she didn't meet John Winchester until long after his wife had died, must have been taken before Dean was even born. Like the picture of the boys, this John Winchester was so different from the man she'd met, a light and hope in his eyes, a real smile on a handsome smooth face, his hair unmarred by stressed caused grey. And the beautiful blonde with the Farrah Faucet haircut had to be Mary, though Mary Campbell at the time. There was no ring on the hand that rested against John's chest as they both smiled at the camera. "Oh wow. Wow. She was beautiful."

"Yeah, she was." Dean said softly.

"There was a thing, a few years ago where we went back to protect them. And I kind of blurted that out, looking at her. I couldn't help it." Sam spoke up.

"And she was raised as a hunter?"

"Yeah, our grandfather, Samuel, he was a hunter. She tried to get out of it, get away from it after he was killed by Azazel." Dean shook his head. "And yes, if you heard about a hunter just a few years ago named Samuel Campbell, that was him too. It gets complicated."

"Hmm." She looked at the pictures quietly, noting one with a cute redhead standing between the boys and all three grinning that made her sad. Something told her that the redhead was gone, just like John and Mary. Had she been the one that Sam had mentioned on the way here that had helped them with the Codex? The one who ended up being killed by the actual Frankenstein family? Then there was a picture that caught her eye. "Oh my god, Garth! And Kevin!"

"You knew Kevin?"

She turned and nodded. "Yeah I did. Garth hid him and his mom at the Rez for a couple weeks during that whole thing. Good good kid. Funny without trying. His mom was a whip, I liked her a lot. Did...did he not make it?"

Sam's jaw clenched and he looked away while Dean's eyes narrowed. "No, he didn't. An angel killed him."

Her heart broke. The kid didn't want to be a prophet but he worked so hard to make the most of it. She'd spent time with him, being in a similar boat not asking for the gift of sight but having it just the same. "Shit. He and his mom helped at the Rez school, helping the kids with their math. I'll have to go through my own photos at home, I'm sure I have pictures."

"You know about Garth right? Going moony?" Sam asked, making a vague Harry Potter reference that looked like Dean didn't get though he was quick to get that it meant something to do with Garth being turned into a werewolf.

"Becoming a werewolf? Yeah, I saw him not too long ago. If there was anyone who was going to be able to make being a werewolf end up a positive thing, it'd be him. A bit weird but a sweetheart. Never let the hunter life bring him down. His pack buy buffalo from us from time to time. Something different than the usual fare. He spends a lot of his time now trying to rescue weres from becoming something that hunters have no choice but to kill."

"Great now I just see Garth eating a buffalo heart like Kevin Cosner in Dances With Wolves and then having a big kumbaya with a bunch of other werewolves. Thanks." Dean said with a grossed out shudder.

"Actually, he was snacking on the liver, not the heart. It's full of protein and the old ones believed it had power, potentially the soul of an animal. Raw is pretty gross but cooked up just right, you wouldn't know what you were eating."

Dean just threw up his hands with a grossed out noise and turned around. "I need a beer!"

Sam just snickered as his brother marched out of the room, no doubt to find a beer in the rather impressive Bunker kitchen. "That's the first time he's said that in a couple days. I'm impressed."

She laughed. "I'll have to refrain from mentioning buffalo liver in the future."

* * *

Gwen tried to sleep, the guest room the boys had given her being rather comfortable but it wasn't happening. The nap she'd had on the way here wasn't exactly helping either. Part of her itched to be outside, to hear crickets or the call of a buffalo to her calf. To feel the breeze or the sounds of Mr. Grey Crow coughing as he sat outside with his pipe. She was Lakota to the bone, she wasn't meant to be so isolated like this.

Instead of getting dressed, she just pulled on the flannel she'd stolen from Dean and padded out to the library in her pajama tank top and shorts. She hoped it wasn't a favorite shirt for the hunter because she wasn't giving it back without a fight. It was well worn and comfortable. It smelled like leather, smoke, gunpowder and incense. It was definitely coming back to the Rez with her.

The lights switched on automatically and she poked around, looking at various books but stopping at one that had a place of honor, left open on a lectern in a corner. She recognized the style of book immediately because she had one of her own sitting in her bag in the guest room. A hunter's journal. Her people had called them Protector's Guides. She had quite a few back home, passed down from previous generations, many written down years later having been kept alive via oral tradition. The oldest were crude pictograms etched onto buffalo hide.

She lifted it carefully from the lectern and brought it over to a table, placing it down and turning to the first page where in relatively messy handwriting it read "I went to Missouri and learned the truth." In plastic sleeving opposite, there were pictures that looked like they were from John's time in Vietnam. She paged through it carefully, noting that while John hadn't always been the easiest man to get along with, he was quite the chronicler.

She'd just gotten to the pages that had to do with when he'd come to Three Meadows for the wendigo, a crude almost stick figure of one meant to be a copy of an ancient pictogram, standing out from the page. The top of the page read WENDIGO and went on from there, the handwriting filling the page from edge to edge, ignoring the lines.

What caught her eye was on the other page and not written in John's handwriting at all.

"Unci." She said softly, letting her fingers gently brush over the Anasazi runes that her grandmother had drawn into the hunter's journal with what they meant underneath. Her heart ached for her grandmother, gone for nearly 6 years now. What would she think of her granddaughter now? Helping white hunters, bound to what she would have called a sky spirit, friendly in a way with a demon who called himself the King of Hell. That said, Unci had always seen the world in shades of gray verses the black and white that too many hunters saw it in.

"Couldn't sleep?"

She looked up, seeing Dean walking over in his bowlegged way, dressed simply in a plain tshirt and pajama pants. "No. It's a great room and everything but it's too indoors. Too quiet."

"That and you were snoring the whole way here since Oklahoma."

She laughed, smacking his arm as he joined her at the table. "I do not snore, shut up."

"Okay, you just keep telling yourself that." He smirked with a teasing tone. "Looking at my dad's journal?"

She nodded. "Yeah, hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. That book has saved our asses more than once."

"That's what their meant for. I have my own in my room and I have a collection of generations of what we call Protector's Guides." She pointed to the Anasazi runes. "My unci, my grandmother wrote that." She looked up at him. "This is from the case were we first met."

Dean moved his chair to look at the book himself, though Gwen had a feeling he had many of the entries memorized. The corner of his mouth went up and he read, "Had to bring Sam, he might want to stay. Has gone Native. Got sense knocked into me by a little bird, Bobby highly approved."

She grinned. "I guess I had a figurative impact on your dad too. Unci and my mom wrote about the wendigo in their own guides, I'll have to show you someday. I wouldn't doubt there are some pictures too."

"Funny, I've read this thing so many times and I never gave a thought to that part." He paused, looking at the pages. "Dad didn't write anything about the case except that the wendigo was taken out. How old was it? Who had it been? I wondered about that with the one Sammy and I went up against in the Cascades."

Gwen sat back, thinking about it. "I'm not sure. I think it had been a relatively young one, only a century or two old. Maybe a white settler or frontiersman. I'll have to look to be sure." She looked at him curiously. "Don't be offended but I'm surprised you would care who the Wendigo had been."

He shrugged. It was then that she saw how exhausted he looked. Haunted. Had he been woken by a nightmare? "I've been on the other side. Nearly ended up a vamp. Been a demon. Was supposed to be the vessel of Michael." He scratched at his face, the sound of his hand rubbing at the stubble on his face audible. "I've seen demons sacrifice themselves for love and I've seen angels torture because they thought they were above reproach. I've met monsters who were more human than some people. I guess that gives me perspective."

She nodded, thinking over some of the very same things she'd seen and been told about over the years. The things she'd done, the mistakes she herself had made with deadly repercussions. He was being honest with her, she was going to do the same. "I was in Purgatory for about six months Earth time. I don't know how long it was there. It felt like a year or more. It was blowback from a spell a pair of jinn were trying. They thought they could open the door again, bring back the Leviathans or something." She sighed, remembering the constant running, the constant killing. It had been horrible but somewhat liberating at the same time. No laws, no morals, just pure survival.

"You found the portal?"

She nodded, remembering climbing the cliff, afraid to look away because she thought the portal would wink out. Just a few more feet. Just a little further. "A vampire helped me."

His eyes grew wide and he spoke softly. "Benny?"

She smiled a little. "Yeah. Joked he would have to start charging for his services, rescuing wayward humans in Purgatory. I would have said something before but..." She took a breath, almost able to smell the rot of the dead leaves that filled the stale air there. "I don't like talking about that place. I don't like thinking about what I had to do there and how easy it was to do it." Or how it had prepared her for that horrible time in Chicago.

Dean looked like he had a million questions but at the same time was terrified to ask. "He's...Benny's okay? There I mean?"

She took a chance and sat up, putting her hand over his. She'd had a feeling that Dean would show the same emotion that Benny had when she'd revealed to the vampire that she had known the Winchesters when they were little more than children. She had been shocked to learn that Castiel had been in Purgatory with him. "It's where he's meant to be Dean. He's too human to be a proper vampire and still a vampire in the end. He's fighting the good fight there as best he can."

"Did...did he mention I sent him back there? After he helped me get out? That I killed him?"

The hunter's voice was strained and it broke her heart. The guilt of that act weighed heavily on him. "He volunteered to go, to save Sam. I must have gotten there not long after Sam got out. He had nothing but good things to say about you. That the best thing about being turned all those years ago was it gave him a chance to help those wayward Winchester boys."

Dean swallowed, looking away from her while his hand turned and gripped hers tightly. Could that have been part of his nightmare or just a weight on his soul?

"We've all had to do things we didn't want to do. Things we regret and feel guilty for. That's part of this life, this destiny if you want to call it that. It'd break other people Dean, but not us. We have to be strong and we can be because of the people who've held us up along the way."

"I just get so tired sometimes. You ever feel like that? Just bone tired. Exhausted. But then I sleep and all I do is dream about all of this. I see the people we didn't save. The people who were killed to get to us. I see my mom burning on that ceiling, Sammy dead in my arms." He sucked in a breath. "Sometimes I open my eyes and I'm back in Hell and Alastair is there and he's whispering in my ear that he'll stop, he'll stop if I start. I see Benny's head rolling on the ground and his body crumbling lifeless, I see Charlie torn apart in that bathtub." He let out a shaky breath, avoiding her eyes and blinking more than normal.

Gwen couldn't help it and stood up, pulling Dean to her, wrapping her arms around him and allowing him to rest his head against her chest. While he'd been on the bike, Sam and Castiel had been telling her about the last few years, including Dean's time in hell as a precursor to when Castiel led the rescue. The difficult time Dean had after he learned that the rescue attempt hadn't come soon enough and he'd inadvertantly began the Apocalypse. "Hush. Stop punishing yourself sweetheart. It doesn't change anything." She stroked his hair, feeling his hot labored breath against her stomach, his arm heavy around her waist. How long had it been since he'd experienced a simple comfort like this? "You aren't in hell anymore, not like that. Alastair is gone. You were a little tiny boy when your mom passed. There was nothing you could have done then just like I couldn't get the wolf that got my father. Bobby, Benny, Angela, they all knew what they were getting into. The dangers. The last thing they'd want is us focusing on what we couldn't control."

He didn't speak and probably couldn't then without exposing what some considered unmanly emotions. She held him for a few more minutes, continuing motion of her hand through his hair. "If you want, I can help you sleep. It's a tea I can make. My kids on the Rez joke it's Dreamless Sleep, like in Harry Potter." She'd had to make the tea so often since the Darkness had come to the Rez that she was sure she could do it blindfolded.

He chuckled, not moving from his spot. "I can think of another way you can help me sleep." His hand resting on her back tapped his fingers against her as in contemplation. He was deflecting his feelings with humor and a bit of flirting. She was almost sure he was kidding but it was really up to her.

She laughed and tickled his side. She was tempted by those green eyes and full lips. It would be nice to not feel so alone, even if just for a night. But no, that wouldn't help the way either of them were feeling and would probably make things unnecessarily complicated. "Nice try Dean. You want sleep, not a coma for three days."

He pulled back with a raised eyebrow. "Now that's just being conceited."

She gave him a raised eyebrow of her own. She could flirt just as much as he could as a deflection. "Not a conceit if it's true." Then to top it off, she wiggled both her eyebrows at him.

He shook his head and laughed, subtly giving a swipe to the corners of his eyes. "I'm going back to bed, you crazy woman." He stood up and pulled her into an actual hug that she willingly went into. He was the perfect height for her and had that man smell about him that just made it that much better. His arms were strong and confident but didn't crush her. She liked that. Some guys thought a hug involved squeezing the hell out of someone. Now that he was getting to know her, he was much more relaxed and his hug showed it. She felt a kiss pressed to the top of her head. "Thanks Gwen. Really."

"Sure. Get some sleep. I'm gonna try myself in a bit. Read a bit more, tire myself out."

"Okay. Don't be up too late." He let go of her almost reluctantly and headed back in the direction of the living quarters. She snuck a peek at his aura, the faint bits of brown that symbolized emotional distress fading away from the grass green. There wouldn't be another nightmare tonight. Then he stopped but didn't turn around. "I'm never getting that shirt back, am I?"

She sat back down, pulling one leg up, resting her heel on the chair. Maybe that was why she couldn't sleep. She'd been picking up on Dean's distress without knowing it. Since she'd been bonded with Bria's grace, she'd been experiencing strange incidents like that. She'd have to ask Castiel about it. "Nope. She said simply, popping the P.

He sighed. "Figured. G'night."

"Good night."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** _Please feel free to comment! I would really like to know what you think and what you like about this story!_

 **Sam POV**

Sam had managed to sleep through the night but still woke up feeling groggy as hell. It must be a sign he was getting older because he didn't remember exactly when he'd lost his ability to be a morning person. Then again, being a hunter didn't exactly lead to a normal sleep schedule or anything. He fumbled on a pair of pants and a tshirt before stumbling his way toward where he smelled food cooking and potentially coffee.

He hadn't expected the sight before him. Dean was seated at the small kitchen table, a huge plate of food in front of him, giggling to himself intermittently. He didn't think he was laughing because Gwen was cooking because she was laughing too. No, it was probably because Crowley, the King of Hell, was there in his usual black suit with a bright pink apron that said "Cute Lil' Devil" on it and was leaning against the counter between them.

He sighed. "Dean, I told you to stop giving me LSD in my sleep."

Dean cackled at that. Crowley just turned his head with a smirk. "Morning Moose. I believe something died on your head in the night."

Sam flipped him off, using his other hand to smooth down his hair. "What is going on?"

"I managed to fall asleep finally when someone decided to call and say they had some information for us. I thought I'd do some shopping since you two seem to think it possible to live on just beer and hamburger. Managed to stock you boys up pretty well. Saw this little number at the store and couldn't help myself." Gwen explained. "Besides, you aren't the only one that enjoys frybread, it's enjoyed by kings of hell too."

That woke Sam up.

"Fry bread? You made fry bread? Like your grandmother's?"

She gave him a grin, reaching behind her for a plate that had two huge pieces on it. "Just for you sweetheart. Unci's recipe and everything."

"Sweet!" He moved forward, taking the offered plate and giving Gwen a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. "You are the best. I think we should keep you."

She seemed happy, a smile on her face as she moved to pour him a cup of coffee as he took a seat next to Dean at the small kitchen table. "Well I could have told you that. Sit and eat and we'll go over what Crowley managed to find out for us."

"And then I can take this bloody apron off?"

"I think it brings out the evil in your eyes." She teased the demon, handing him his own cup of coffee after pretty much just putting whiskey in it. This was very strange and domestic. He wasn't entirely sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Flattery, love, you know what that does to me." He actually smiled, genuinely smiled at her and then took his own seat at the table.

Sam was in heaven, at least he was pretty sure he was dreaming that he was. He felt like he was a kid again with Gwen's grandmother cooking and telling him stories, distracting him from the monster that his dad and Dean and his "uncle" Bobby were hunting. The fry bread practically melted in his mouth. "This is so good Gwen. Thank you."

"You are more than welcome, Sammy." She stepped over and affectionately ruffled his hair and it was weird how it just felt natural. She added more coffee to Dean's cup before sitting down herself to what looked like a cup of tea. "It's been a long time since I've really cooked for anyone."

"And that is a goddamn crime." Dean said after a long sip of coffee. "So, Cookiebutt. What's the 411?"

Sam nearly choked on his own coffee. Did Dean just call Crowley, Cookiebutt? This day was going to just get weirder and weirder.

"Dean, be nice. He's helping us." She looked to the annoyed demon who had pulled off his apron and put it over the back of his chair after flipping Dean off. "What's going on?"

"Thank you poppet." He weaved his fingers together and sat forward. "The warlocks were not human. They were in fact, ready for this? Kitsune."

All three hunters responded in unison. "Kitsune?!"

"In all their taloned foxy glory."

"Well fuck a duck. That guarantees I sent them straight to Purgatory." Gwen said with a frustrated sigh, running her hand through her long hair. "And that practically takes away any chance we have of finding out who they were working for."

"Son of a bitch!" Dean growled. "What about the book? Did Rowena have anything to say about it?"

"Just that I should take it and put it in a volcano for the sake of all of us."

Sam sighed. He had a bad feeling it was going to be something like that. Nothing good ever came from books that had human skin for pages. Even more if Rowena didn't want anything to do with the power it possessed. "Does it have a name?"

"Nothing pronounceable. It's older than even the Book of the Damned. Supposedly it was made with Eve's own skin."

"Eve. As in Adam's Eve? That harpy I ganked with the phoenix ashes?" Dean growled, never liking it when a bad guy made a come back.

"I know in the bible, they just say that Adam and Eve were banished from paradise, the gates to Eden were closed to them. But I've also heard that Eve never left Eden. She was trapped there as her punishment for eating from the tree of knowledge."

"Wait, if she was trapped in Eden then that would mean that Eden..." Sam didn't like the conclusion he was drawing.

"Eden became part of Purgatory. And Eve, in her resulting madness caused by a combination of the expulsion and the effects of actually eating from the Tree of Knowledge, became Mother of all Monsters." Crowley finished. "Like to see them teach that in Sunday School."

"Wow, Adam must have been a dick. The one wife becomes one of the first demons, the second ruins it for all mankind and becomes a monster mommy, his one son is gullible and doesn't realize he's talking to Lucifer which causes his other son to become the Father of Murder to save his brother." Gwen shook her head. "And then there was the other son that no one really thinks about."

"And according to legend, lived nearly a millennium with that on his head." Sam spoke up. "I'm guessing he's in Hell?"

"No. Adam is cursed to remain in the Veil forever. No heaven, no hell, no purgatory." Crowley said. "Bloody worse than the other three if you ask me."

"Ok, sucks to be him. Let's focus. This is a book potentially created by Eve. It makes angels and anyone with angelic qualities sick just being around it. It requires ancient near extinct ingredients and some of Eve's kids had their hands on it. They trying to open Purgatory again?"

"That wouldn't make sense. They would need angelic blood for that and they were trying to keep angels away."

No one in the room jumped, they were all used to Castiel's sudden appearances.

"Then what?"

"The warlocks were easy to take down. It was pure luck they managed to take you two out and put the whammy on Castiel. They were obviously working for someone else." Gwen emphasized, mentally kicking herself for killing them outright instead of trying to find out what they were behind. "And whoever that is, has a major grudge against angels." She looked to Castiel who took a seat at the table.

"I agree. I spoke with Harahel, she is what you would understand as a librarian of sorts. She and other angels work to retain all the knowledge in existance. It was not easy to get an opportunity to speak with her. I told her what we encountered and she referred to it as Annihilation."

"Of what? Of who? Is it another kind of apocalypse?" Dean asked, sitting back from the table and patting his stomach with a happy look in his eyes despite the topic of conversation.

"No, think more of genocide. But not of a race or a religion. Someone is looking to wipe out all angels."

That sat heavy in the room. Wipe out all the angels or the host as he'd heard them referred to more than once.

"But they can't. I mean, angels can die, yeah, but to wipe out all of them has to be impossible."

"Not after the last few years, Sam." Cass spoke with pain in his voice. "After all the infighting in the last few years, my war with Raphael, The Fall and Metatron and then The Darkness." He sighed. "There are fewer angels than you would think."

"And the only archangel left is Lucifer and we don't know where he is or what he's up to." Dean said with frustration.

"There's Michael, right? He was in the cage with Lucifer? Is he still there?" Gwen asked, her brow furrowed.

"He's there love, but I don't know if he'd be much help to anyone. He's gone a bit off the rails. He and Lucifer were tearing at each other in there once they didn't have the Moose to play with anymore. He's not the victorious strong archangel that led Heaven in the absence of our old pal, Chuck." Crowley spoke up.

"And even if he wasn't, there's nothing to say that he and Lucifer wouldn't just try to start the Apocalypse again." Castiel said with a blank look. It would potentially undo everything he had done in his war against Raphael that led to the release of the Leviathans.

"Okay. Let's not jump to conclusions. Let's act smart. We need to look and do a head count on the remaining angels. Maybe find a safe place to put up the Horn of Gabriel sigil? We need to find out where Lucifer is and make sure he's not the one looking to be a family annihilator. And someone needs to check on Michael in the cage and find out just what condition he's in." Gwen said, getting up and counting off the points on her fingers.

Sam shared a look with Dean. They both liked the way Gwen thought nothing of taking charge or at least contributing as a leader would. He guessed she did the very same thing on the Rez when she'd been Protector with her mother and then later with Briathos. More than that, it wasn't all bravado. She knew what she was doing and was confident. It was a nice change from what they'd encountered in the past with many hunters.

Dean spoke up. "We're gonna need a safe way for all of us to look at this book so we can determine just what it requires and then stop anyone from getting that stuff."

Sam nodded in agreement. "Not to mention we don't know if it might have long term effects on humans. Monsters were guarding it, it might hurt us too, just not as quickly. Do we still have the translation Kevin managed to do on the Angel tablet? Maybe there's something about it in there."

"I think so. Good idea Sammy."

"Alright then, I'll check on Michael in the cage and check on Mother and see if she's figured out how to make the book angel friendly. In the meantime, leave it wherever you have it. No need to get your star lineup passed out on the floor." Crowley stood, adjusting his suit.

"Thanks Crowley. You are the best demon ever." Gwen beamed up at the demon and Sam wondered if with the True Sight that she was born with, if Crowley's appearance didn't really matter in the end.

"Flattery darling. Ta boys."

 **Dean POV**

Dean stood leaning against the archway that opened up onto what was effectively the library for the bunker, observing the scene before him with an odd sense that it just fit. Both Sam and Gwen where in the same places he'd left them in with books surrounding them and two laptops open facing each other. Cass had returned to Heaven with a list of things they were researching with the hope that Harahel would be willing to either give the information or lead them in the right direction. Since he'd gone out the books had moved and there were more papers and post-it notes than before but both were completely concentrating on the work.

They weren't talking but were apparently having some kind of nerd conversation silently. Gwen would tilt her head in interest in something in one of the books, scribble something down on a post it note before handing the book to Sam who didn't even look up to take it. Sam would then put that book down on whatever he was in the middle of, refer to the laptop or grab a different book, open it to a specific page and then hand that to Gwen, already looking at another book of her own.

"Okay, when did you two become research besties?" He finally said after watching for a few minutes in amusement.

"Since I found out that there's actually someone else who enjoys searching through lore?" Sam said, holding out his fist for a fist bump.

"Since I saw this friggin' library? Duh." Gwen answered with a flip of her ponytail before giving Sam the bump. "Plus, Samsquatch over here keeps me from having to stand on chairs or use ladders."

Dean snorted at the new nickname his brother had earned. "Samsquatch? Love it."

Sam rolls his eyes. "Just because we have Dances with Hobbits over here..."

"Sam, Sam, Sam. I will kick your ass to the Shire and back. Don't even start." Gwen said with pretend annoyance after throwing a square of post it notes at him.

"How are you gonna reach my ass? A ladder?" He smirked in mock arrogance.

She flipped him off. "Probably have to get a sherpa and some oxygen, but yeah, gonna get there and I'm gonna kick it! Really hard too!"

Dean snorted again and took a seat at the table with his nearly forgotten bag of supplies. "I will give you $20 to do it just for the image. Anyways, I got the sugar and the caffeine, so someone hand me a book or show me something to kill."

"Wanna start the wall?" Gwen asked. "And yes, before you ask, Protectors do a hunter wall too to make connections."

He chuckled. "You might not want to be reading my mind so well, girlie. You'll be scandalized by what you find."

"Yeah, a gaping void with cobwebs." Sam spoke up with a smirk still on his lips. Apparently the fry bread this morning had been spiced with snark.

"That's hilarious Sammy." He got up, digging through the bag to hand Gwen a bottle of Cherry Pepsi and a large bag of M&Ms. "Just for that, you don't get any licorice!"

"Ewww!" Both he and Gwen said in unison, surprising them both.

"You don't like it either?"

"It's like ectoplasm with farts and sugar." She said with her nose scrunched up as she opened the M&Ms and offered them to Sam who took a handful.

Sam snorted. "Forget Dean wanting to marry you, I'll fight him for the right. That's awesome. Enjoy your farty ectoplasm, Dean." He popped a few bits of chocolate in his mouth with a pleased grin.

Dean rolled his eyes. "You two just have poor taste in candy. It's not your fault, no one is perfect. Now can we get back to work?"

"Yes we can, Mr. No Taste Whatsoever in Candy. You have a dry erase board kicking around here?"

"Yes we do, Miss Going to End Up With A Spanking. I'll go get it."

She giggled, shaking her head in amusement. "Thanks so much, Mr. In Your Dreams."


	10. Chapter 10

**Dean POV**

"So what kind of fighting training do you guys have?" Gwen asked, stretching in the middle of what was essentially the training room for the Men of Letters bunker. She had asked if they had such a room because she was going mentally numb from all the research of the last few days. Dean had always found it strange that it existed considering the groups distaste for actual hunting. He'd joked to Sam that the most they had probably done back in the 50s was that old timey boxing stuff with the pomade slicked moustaches and the jumpsuits.

"Whatever Dad taught us mainly." Sam spoke up. "Basic self defense."

Gwen looked confused. "Wait, you guys didn't get actual training at all? Jujitsu, Wu-shu, Aikido or anything?"

"Is this the part where you start ragging on us for getting taken down by those warlocks that you managed to kill?" Dean asked with a sigh, resting his hands on his hips. He knew this was coming one way or another.

"Nah. I've been taken down a couple times. I'm just surprised is all. I mean, of all the stories I've heard, I guess I kind of expected you had similar training."

"Most of the stuff we end up going after, you don't want to get that close. That's how you get dead."

She crossed her arms and smirked. She was wearing leggings and a Kansas City Royals tank top that was very distracting. At least to him. "Not if you know what you are doing. Guns aren't always the answer. How do you think hunters survived before them?"

"Not very well." Dean snarked. "So what, you can do Jujitsu and stuff? Some Lakota version of it?"

She nodded, standing straight. Dean wouldn't say it outloud but it was obvious from her body that she'd had a bunch of physical training, more than just the basic stuff Sam had mentioned they learned. She was curvy but there wasn't any fat on her and he'd noticed when she'd shown them her back tattoos that her stomach was not only flat but strong. She wasn't going to be in any body builder contests, but she obviously could hold her own in a fight. "Yeah. Mom had some training and pretty much took advantage of anyone we came across to teach both of us more. Then of course there's the stuff Briathos taught me."

Dean crossed his arms over his chest. "Can you do flips and shit?"

She smirked. "Duh."

"What about that parkour stuff?"

"Yup."

"Show us."

She grinned and bounced a little on the balls of her feet, cracking her neck one way and then the other. "Sam, come over here and just stand straight and brace yourself."

"Aww come on, why do I have to be the dummy?"

"You aren't a dummy sweetheart. You're my wall. Come on, I won't hurt you. Not yet anyway." She wiggled her eyebrows at him as he reluctantly moved to where she indicated. "Now come on, brace yourself like someone's moving to tackle you."

Sam did so and she moved a moment later, running straight at him. Dean didn't know what he expected but it wasn't for her to first place one foot on Sam's bent knee, then his opposite thigh, then his shoulder and then flip over so she landed on her feet but in a defensive pose.

"Holy shit." Both brothers breathed in awe.

She stood straight and bowed. "Thank you. You were a great wall Sam."

"I barely even felt you touch me."

"That's the whole point. It's more momentum and redirection than anything else. A lot of the angel fighting style is that but with angel blades. Aikido is the closest to what the angels do or I should say what they did when they didn't want to kill necessarily. That's how I learned to really fight with a staff."

"Yeah then why haven't we ever seen Cass fight like that?"

"Because I've usually had no choice but to kill, Dean. The ancient ways have been forgotten much like the mission that angels were left with." Cass appeared in the doorway of the gym. "I was hoping we would have an opportunity like this, Gwen. I'm intrigued to see your fighting style, especially trained by an angel like Briathos."

Gwen smiled. "You want to spar, Castiel? Oooh! A challenge!" She all but started bouncing on her feet again. "How do you want to start?"

"First, I want to see just how much of Briathos' grace you have access to. There is a way for me to sense it and gauge it's strength."

Gwen furrowed her brow. "A sense of it? Why?"

"Is this like finding out just what percent of angel she is?" Dean asked with a raised brow.

"Essentially. There are many powers that angels have and obviously you haven't had anyone to teach you on what you can do. You've learned to use the speed and you knew how to fight beforehand. I would like to see what else you could potentially do."

"Okay." Gwen paused. "Will it hurt?"

Castiel gave her a soft smile. "No, child. I would never hurt you." He looked to Sam and Dean. "You may want to cover your eyes."

"You aren't going to go nuclear or anything right?" Dean knew Cass wouldn't try to hurt Gwen but accidents could happen. He remembered when Cass had checked for Sam's soul and then their grandfather's and that hadn't been pleasant for either man. How would this be different? Wouldn't the grace also be in her soul?

"Do not worry Dean. It's perfectly safe. It is often used by angels tasked as healers for fellow angels in battle."

Gwen gave him a look. "It's okay Dean. Castiel wouldn't hurt me. Just be sure to cover your eyes if it gets bright."

Dean nodded reluctantly and watched as Cass simply placed the fingertips of his right hand on Gwen's face while looking into her eyes. "Dude, it's like a Vulcan mind meld. It's an angelic grace meld." He furrowed his brow. "No, there's gotta be a better name."

"Dean, shut up. Look!" Sam smacked him and nodded toward the pair who hadn't moved but now both their eyes were glowing. Cass' eyes were a bright almost blue white while Gwen's eyes had a soft beige glow, as bright as they were getting. "There go the wings." And Sam was right, Cass' wings or the shadow of them they were able to perceive at least reflected against the wall, lit up by the light he was exuding which was becoming almost enough to wince at. There was a shadow of wings from Gwen but it was different somehow, almost faded. It was seeing both at once that he could see what Gwen was talking about when she commented on the condition of his wings. They looked almost barren compared to the faint shadow of what had been Briathos' wings.

Dean shared a look with Sam who was no doubt thinking the same thing he was. A lot of that was because of them. How had Cass' wings looked before he made that fateful trip into Hell to rescue him? Or again to try and pull Sam from the cage? How much of that was from the fall and what Metatron did to him? What about the number of times he'd been atomized? How come they hadn't been healed when Chuck brought him back?

And why hadn't they bothered to notice until now?

The glow faded away, dimming lastly in their eyes and Gwen stumbled a little. Dean moved to help her but stopped when Cass put his hands on her arms to steady her. "Okay. That was...I don't know. I can't imagine that's what the bonding was like." She looked to the boys, no doubt seeing the confusion on both of their faces. "I was comatose and near death when Bria bonded her grace with me. I don't remember the actual event."

"Didn't she have to ask your permission first?"

"She did in what I remember as a dream. I woke up over a week later completely healed like nothing had happened." Her eyes dropped and Dean could tell she was thinking about all that she'd been confronted with when she woke. Her mother gone, Briathos and the other angels gone along with the other people of the Rez that Amara had fed from. She'd fed deeper or differently when she'd gone to Three Meadows and hadn't left any soulless victims behind. Just bodies.

Dean wanted to distract her. He didn't want her to focus on Amara's attack or the aftermath. He wanted to see her smiling and animated. "So Cass, how much angel is our Gwen? Half? More?"

Cass seemed to give it thought. "I would say close to half but part of that might be thanks to the gifts she was born with." He looked to Gwen and started taking off his trenchcoat. "It looks like I once again get to be a teacher to you."

The smile that took Gwen's face lifted Dean's spirits too. "That is the best thing I've heard in a long time, old man. Come on, let's spar! We could never do this when I was a kid and it's hard to find someone that I can really let loose on without it being unfair."

Sam stepped on his foot hard before he could say what he was thinking.

* * *

To say that Dean was impressed with watching Gwen sparring with Cass was an understatement. How come he'd never seen Cass fight like this before? It was like something out of Star Wars or something, the way it was almost like a choreographed dance. Cass sounded like a teacher, encouraging Gwen to use the grace to move faster, to enhance her hits and to try and push him away without touching him. It was like their resident angel had turned into some kind of angelic Yoda. And more than that, it was obvious that the angel and his, well pseudo human daughter, were having the time of their lives.

The fight seemed to end with Cass pinning Gwen to him with the sparring fake angel blade held to her chest but then out of nowhere, she managed to flip him over her shoulder and land on his chest, holding her own to his throat. "Getting slow, old man?" She teased.

Cass only smiled before she moved off him and gave him a hand to help him stand though it was obvious he didn't need it. "I couldn't convince you it's more the vessel than me, could I?"

Gwen's laugh filled the room. "That's cute. I'll take it. That was fun!"

"Cass, since when do you fight like that?"

"I always have. The more artistic portions of it tend to fall aside when it comes to a fight to the death. It's what you might call old fashioned to use against demons or humans."

"Is that what it was like during the civil wars in heaven?" Sam asked and Dean could have kicked him right in the ass for bringing up some of Cass' darkest days.

"Yes, mostly." Cass said, giving a shake of the head to Gwen when she touched his arm in concern. "Briathos taught you well."

"I think having her grace helps too." Sam said. "Does this mean she's essentially a nephalim now?" He paused. "Wait, wouldn't that put her in danger from other angels?"

Cass furrowed his brow. "It's different because she wasn't created from the sexual union of an angel and a human." Almost absently he added, "Yes Dean, that has happened." He shook his head, looking to Gwen before looking back to Sam. "From my understanding of the reason for nephalim being considered abominations, it was about the act. As you know, many of my brothers and sisters have less than positive views about humanity."

"Oh yeah, I remember. I've never been called a mud monkey before I met your old buddy Uriel. Dick."

"Castiel, am I in danger? It's been months since Bria fused her grace with me but it's not like I've been actively using it or drawing attention to myself."

"You aren't in danger. As much as I am not very popular in Heaven currently, I still retain a certain level of respect, namely for my actions against the Darkness and my interactions with our father. No angel would dare touch you."

"Not to mention that there aren't many angels who'd want to mess with us either." Dean said with pride. "No way those feathery assholes are going to get near you with us around."

Gwen gave him a half smile. "Thanks."

"After our spar, I believe you would be able to hold your own against one of my siblings if they dared to be so bold. I would hope for their sake they wouldn't be so foolish."

Dean had to pipe up. "Dude, have you met your family at all?"

Castiel let out his signature long suffering sigh. "Enough, why don't we continue and see how well you do Dean against Gwen. It will be amusing for me at the very least."

"Gee thanks for the support, Cass." Dean growled, moving to the mats and already pretty sure he was about to get his ass handed to him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sam POV**

Sam panted from where he landed, holding up his hands. "Uncle! Cousin! Old Aunt Grezelda! I'm out!"

Gwen's laughter filled the room and her tanned hand appeared in his view followed by her grinning face. "I didn't break you, did I?"

"Not entirely sure. Why the hell I thought I'd have better luck sparring against you than Dean, I don't know." He let her help him sit up and groaned, putting his hand to his chest where she'd kicked him, sending him almost across the room and on his ass.

"You both did really well considering you don't have the training I do. Just be glad I didn't cheat and read your auras. That helps me a lot when I fight." She pushed his hand away from his chest. "Hold still." She closed her eyes and her hand glowed just a touch as a warm rush ran from his chest to his fingers and toes, healing him from the minor bruises and aches of the spar. "Better?"

He nodded and managed to get up on his feet and follow her over to one of the benches. Dean had limped off earlier for a shower and Sam probably wouldn't be far behind. There was a definite style to the way Gwen fought and it was much different than the fighting either he or his brother were used to. Instead of just bashing, it was almost like a dance and she didn't look tired at all. Dean had lasted longer but was also more stubborn and willing to take a hit if it meant becoming a better fighter himself.

He took an offered bottle of water as he slumped down on one of the benches and drank most of it before he asked. "When you talk about auras, is it like a glow or something surrounding a person? How do you read it?"

"I wouldn't say it's a glow, it's more like colors that a person generates. Each person has their own color and emotions tend to show as other colors. It might be how my mind chooses to see them but red tends to mean anger, rage or pain while yellow can mean disgust or affection depending on the person. I've been seeing them for my whole life, so I don't really think about it. Kind of like how you don't think about reading actively, you just automatically do it."

He nodded, taking that in. "What color is mine? Can I know that or is that something you don't tell people?"

She gave him a smile. "Yours is caramel colored. Dean's is grass green."

"Do auras show a history of a person? Like injuries or traumas?"

"Do they scar, you mean?" She paused as if weighing her words. "There are different layers to auras and I tend not to look too deeply. I always felt like it was invading someone's personal space, just being rude. But yes, they do."

"Can you look at mine like that? I don't mind."

"Sweetheart, no. Just because I could see it in your aura, don't make that think it's a sign of what your soul is like. They aren't the same thing." She shook her head. "Why would you want to know?"

"I spent like, nearly 200 years in Hell and I've been possessed by an angel and a demon, at the same time, I've been tortured and shot and everything in between. I'm just curious."

"You want to know if Hell shows in your aura?"

He shrugged. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to know if his aura, the deeper parts of it weren't damaged. If he wasn't damaged despite the amount of healing he'd undergone thanks to Castiel. If what the last few years showed in Cass' wings, why wouldn't they show similarly in his own aura?

She took a breath and moved a little so she could see him better. He watched as she stared and tilted her head a little before she blinked and looked away for a moment. Then she did something he didn't expect. She lunged forward and hugged him around the neck.

He hugged her back, part of him still wondering how a woman her size had managed to knock both him and Dean, albeit separately, on their asses. "That bad?"

She pulled away, shaking her head. "Not bad. Just busy. You've been through so much, Sam. And there is such an amazing center of strength in you. It's not surprising you would be a born vessel for an archangel." She gave him a weak smile, like she was trying not to show that she was overwhelmed but like she could read auras, he was pretty good at reading people's behaviors. It wasn't something he showed off except apparently when he was soulless, which he didn't remember well. "It was a kaleidoscope."

He nodded, knowing she was trying to focus on the positives. What did his years in hell look like in his aura? Despite his curiosity, he decided to change the subject. "What about demons and angels, do they have auras?"

"Kind of. There are different kinds of demons, as you know and while you see them as black smoke outside of possession, there are minute differences. It's hard to explain. Angels tend to show their aura in their wings. An angel's wings are as unique as a fingerprint though they can be damaged and change in color to reflect what has happened to the angel."

Sam looked down at the floor. "Dean and I noticed that earlier, with Cass. I don't know why we didn't bother to notice before. I know we can only see a shadow of them, but what are his really like? I mean, when you were a kid and they weren't like they are now."

"Oddly enough, nearly black. Like the darkest brown, like his vessel's hair kind of. Gabriel's wings, all three sets were a brilliant gold. Of course, he was an archangel and had a big personality, so I guess that would make them stand out."

"And Briathos?"

Gwen's lips turned in a faint smile. "White with just the barest hint of sky blue. You know, the thing that bothered her most after The Fall was not being able to fly. She still had her wings, they all did, but it was like having a broken arm with a cast from your shoulder to your wrist. I wish she could have had that chance again."

Briathos had spent nearly two years at Three Meadows and Sam wagered she'd become part of the tribe in that time along with the other two angels. "She knew what she was doing when she bonded you with her grace. You mentioned Blessing Way and I looked it up. Are there many Natives who can do that ritual? It seems very entailed." He was interested in learning more about Gwen's people and specifically what Protectors did verses Hunters and Men of Letters. Three groups all tasked with protecting humanity but they went about it very differently.

"There aren't very many, it's beyond ancient and many think it was taught to us directly by the Great Spirit. I don't know about that. A call was made down to New Mexico to one of the old Navajo Protectors was made because the only one around us who could have done it was my mother and well, that wasn't happening."

Sam gave her shoulder a squeeze, knowing the woman for all her bravado was still dealing with the loss of her mother in such a sudden violent way. How was she going to react when they told her about their connection to the release of the Darkness? He didn't like keeping it from her but he understood why. Just the same, he wanted to talk to Dean about telling Gwen everything. She deserved that much.

"Anyways, Albert Holsteen came from New Mexico to do it with the help of his son and grandson. Yeah, they are protectors too. It tends to run in families but not always. They keep it mostly quiet like I do because of some incident with the FBI a few years ago. The last thing they want is attention. But they managed to do it."

"I'm glad. Are you looking forward to learning about what you can really do with it? The grace I mean?"

"A little. I'm still a bit hesitant given that it kinda makes me something that most angels hate but I don't think Bria would have given me her grace if she thought it would lead to me being hunted as a monster by her own brothers and sisters."

"Good point. But Cass wouldn't encourage you to learn if he thought it would put you in harms way. Are you hungry?"

"Friggin' starving. That grace check thing Castiel did to me made me hungry as hell."

"Good. I'll cook tonight. Or we can try to talk Dean into cooking."

She raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Dean cooks? Dean Winchester. Your brother? Green eyes, bow legged?"

Sam laughed. "Believe it or not, he's actually pretty good. Since we found the Bunker, he's done this whole nesting thing. It's the first time he's ever really had a kitchen or a home for that matter. Trust me, he's not bad."

"My people haven't had much luck trusting you washitus but I'll give it a shot." She stood up. "Let's check to make sure he's up for it though. He didn't stay long enough to let me heal him."

"He's stubborn and prideful. Once he gets over having his ass handed to him by a girl like he did, he'll let you heal him."

She grinned. "He did really well for someone with little training compared to be. Still, it was pretty epic."

He laughed, leading the way to the center of the bunker, the War Room. "So how'd it feel to have Cass teaching you again?"

"Very very awesome." The angel had stuck around to watch Dean be thrown around a bit but had left with apologies, not saying where he was going. "I think he enjoyed himself too. You think?"

"He was all but grinning the whole time, Gwen. I don't think I've ever seen Cass that happy if ever. He's always been a bit reserved, I guess."

"From what I understand, that's what angels are indoctrinated with. Obedience, touting the company line. Now it's all different." She shook her head as they looked in the kitchen on a whim to see if Dean was in there at all before they headed for the living quarters. "I wish I could have been there, for everything with Raphael and Naomi and Metatron."

Sam stopped and shook his head. "No you don't. You really don't. Those were some really bad times. And it all began because of us and the Apocalypse and what we did to stop it."

Her eyes softened. "Sam, please don't tell me you are blaming yourself for the wars in Heaven. I mean, come on."

"I killed Lilith, I broke the final seal that released Lucifer."

"And so it is written that the first seal will be broken when a righteous man sheds blood in hell. As he breaks, so shall it break." She quoted softly, reminding him that Dean had inadvertently broken the first seal when he was in Hell. "You and your brother carry so much guilt on your shoulders. How you manage to still be so tall baffles me."

Sam smirked. "We're Winchesters. It's what we do."

"Phht." She raspberried. "Buffalo shit. You did the best you could with what you knew and what you were able. Were bad calls made? Yeah but could things have ended up a hell of a lot worse? Very very much so. Believe me, I've made my share of mistakes and bad calls. You boys need to stop beating yourselves up." She paused and gave him a grin. "I'm better at it anyway."

He rolled his eyes. "We're never going to live today down, are we?"

She grinned, walking backwards in the direction they'd been heading in before they stopped. "Nope!" She popped the P before turning and banging on Dean's door. "Hey Dean, you better not be in a coma, you need to make us dinner!"

Sam couldn't hear what Dean replied but it made Gwen laugh right outloud, throwing her head back. "If you want me to do that, you best take me out for dinner first. I'm a lady I'll have you know!"

He shook his head and smiled. Maybe getting thrown into that basement by those kitsune warlocks had been a bit of luck after all.


	12. Chapter 12

**Sam POV**

"Hey Gwen, what are you working on?" Sam greeted, still half asleep and coming across Gwen seated at the kitchen table with her laptop and a cup of tea. It was starting to feel pleasantly normal to have the Lakota woman relaxing in the bunker kitchen in the morning or joining him on a morning run much to Dean's bafflement at the practice.

"Hi Sammy. I think I might have found a case. Doesn't have anything to do with the whole Annihilation thing but it'd be nice to actually get something done while that potentially develops into something we can actually do something against."

"Did I hear the word case? I'm on the verge of bunker fever here!" Dean announced, strutting into the kitchen in his robe and socked feet. "Mornin' Gwen. Whatcha got?"

Sam could see her struggling to keep from giggling from the sight of Dean in his robe but she managed and answered as Sam handed him the cup of coffee he'd originally started pouring for himself and started another.

"Looks like a vengeful spirit. It's not far away. Apparently there was a lynching in Jackson Park in Atchison. It's the third one in 3 years."

"A lynching?"

"They use the word in the article though anywhere else is showing it as a suicide. A little more research would tell them it's not just a suicide. Somewhere in the late 50s a black woman named Molly broke up with her white boyfriend and he didn't take it too well. According to records, they claimed she committed suicide but according to statements of people who knew her, she dumped him and he took it very badly. Flash forward to the last three years and the deaths of three white men in what I'm guessing is the same spot where she died. The kicker? From what I can see, they are all locals. How much to you want to bet they have something in relation to that mob?"

"What are you thinking, descendants?"

She nodded. "Why start now though? A death as horrific as that, why would it take her spirit this long to act out?"

"Something must have changed. Has there been any racially motivated crimes? Something that would anger her spirit to the point of vengeance?"

"Not that I can see. I could use your help Sam with the research. Maybe we can head out there just to check things out? I'd like to try and put her spirit to rest if we can, not just a salt and burn. Poor thing went through enough when she died."

"What about the three people she's killed?" Dean spoke up, his brow furrowed. "Chances are they didn't do anything to deserve that."

"I'm not saying they did Dean. If this spirit is Molly and not something else, she might not understand what she's doing. I want to try and help her rather than just destroy her."

Sam spoke up. "Let's research as much as we can and find out everything before we do anything. If we can put her to rest without burning her, let's try. Plus I'm gonna wager that Gwen might be able to get through to her verses us, two white men."

Dean still didn't look like he liked it very much but he nodded. "Alright but things start getting hairy, we salt and burn."

"Deal."

* * *

They were quiet as they made their way back to the Impala, Sam was thankful for having Gwen around so they wouldn't have to go to a hospital for Dean's broken arm or try to set it themselves. The spirit of Molly Jackson was at rest though she hadn't made it easy with over 50 years of rage powering her. It was lucky for them that she had been a religious person when she'd been alive because that was what they were able to use to get through her rage. She had thrown Dean into a stone obelisk, breaking his arm and the stone itself. Gwen had tapped into Briathos' grace to move fast enough to get Dean out of the way of the heavy falling stone. The second the spirit had seen the shadow of the wings, she'd begged for forgiveness, not understanding that Gwen wasn't an angel.

They'd put her spirit to rest simply by finding where her body had been dumped and burying it on consecrated ground along with the promise of bringing the people who had killed Amber Tasko, a young black woman, to justice. With the help of a local college student, they managed to do all of that as well as get three of Molly's murderers to confess to her lynching. They were all in their 70s and it was unlikely that they would serve time but something told Sam that the truth being revealed was all Molly had wanted.

"How does your arm feel?" Gwen asked Dean quietly, the older of the three not very happy about ending up with a broken arm from trying to plead with a vengeful spirit. It wasn't broken anymore thanks to Gwen's healing spells and the bit of grace she'd learned to use in healing but it wasn't 100%. There were limits to what she could do and they'd probably need to contact Cass for a full healing before any other hunts or fights.

"Better but it still hurts." He muttered.

"I'm sorry it happened. I'm usually alone for stuff like this. I didn't think she'd react like that to you or be that powerful." The spirit had reacted very strongly to both of the brothers and Sam was pretty sure it was because they were white men and had weapons. He couldn't exactly blame the spirit though being thrown around like that was not fun.

"No way to have known. It's fine." He looked up and Sam could see that his brother was seeing that it really bothered Gwen that he'd been hurt inadvertently because of her actions and the way she dealt with cases verses how most hunters did. She chose doing a salt and burn as a last resort, choosing more to try and help the spirit move on naturally. Dean had referred to it as the Ghost Whisperer path. "I'm fine, honest."

"How about I make it up to you? It's been a while but I know how to bake. Unci made sure of it. I could try making a pie if you want."

Sam raised an eyebrow, Gwen having caught on pretty quickly as to what would get the attention of the older Winchester. Not that Sam would regret having someone make homemade pie for him though.

Dean paused as they reached the Impala, having just thrown the keys to Sam, his arm having to bother him a lot more than he was saying to make him not want to drive. "Apple pie?"

She nodded. "With ice cream if you want."

"Alright, that'll work. Do we have anymore of that Darvocet in the glove compartment from when you got shot during that werewolf hunt?"

Sam shrugged to his brother as he got in the car to look, giving Gwen a nod of encouragement as she got in the backseat and he got behind the wheel. "We might. We should have something in there. Either way, we should be home in an hour or two."

 **Dean POV**

Dean walked into the library after seeing a light on and found Gwen seated at one of the tables writing something down. As he got closer he saw it looked like she was recording the case they just finished in what she called a Protector's Guide. He was impressed by the thickness of it, she was detailed like his father had been. "Trying to write it all down before you forget?"

She looked up and blinked for a minute before nodding. "Yeah. Pretty much. Couldn't sleep anyway. Kept thinking about Molly and how she kept saying she wanted my forgiveness and yet it was you that she threw around and hurt, not me."

"She thought you were an angel or something."

"I get that, it's just, I wonder how many monsters and demons and whatever we've put down between the three of us and how many of them actually felt sorry for what they'd done. Do you think this group, the Annihilists or whatever, do you think they hate angels because they are so unapologetic?"

Dean took a chair and swung it around to sit on it backwards, wrapping his arms around the back and resting his chin on the top. "I don't know. We haven't had a chance to find out just why they hate angels so much. I mean, I kinda get it. Quite a few of them are assholes. Zachariah, Naomi, Metatron. But then you add angels like Cass or Briathos or even Gabriel and Balthazar and you can't just say all angels are assholes. Cass said that Gadreel was sorry in the end, he sacrificed himself because of it. I think maybe Metatron was sorry too, not that it makes up killing me. Prick."

She shrugged, sitting back in the chair. "I was talking about it to Castiel before, he was here for a bit and encouraged me to write it all down. He said that there was no amount of apologizing that he could do or forgiveness he could be given to make up for what he's done over the years or what he let happen. Like being blind to who Uriel was or what the Apocalypse really meant?"

"There was no way he could have known." Dean said, remembering waking up in the hospital after being beaten nearly to death by Alastair after torturing the demon at the request of Uriel and Castiel. "It's part of this life, constantly questioning if what you did was right. I mean, you read Dad's journal, you've seen that he did stuff that probably accidentally caused more than one death. We all have."

"I just hope that Molly is at peace. I asked Castiel if he could find out about her spirit, where she went."

"Because she killed 3 people?"

"Yeah."

"She went upstairs. I'm sure of it. There are a lot of hunters up there and most of them ended up killing someone by accident or on purpose who didn't deserve it. Bobby, Rufus, even Ellen and Jo. My dad, my mom. When those hunters kinda killed Sam and I for starting the Apocalypse, we went to heaven."

"Castiel said my mom is up there. Unci too. I know the stuff they did or had to do and not all of it was sunshine and rainbows. I guess you're right." She looked up at him. "Wanna have another piece of that pie? I'm rather happy with how it came out."

He grinned and stood up, holding out a hand to her. "That's where I was headed when I saw the light on in here. Come on, we can start a tradition. Late night pie in the kitchen after a hunt. Like cheesecake on the Golden Girls."

She laughed and took his hand, letting him pull her out of the chair. "Sounds good to me."

 **Gwen POV**

As the sad pensive music played and the camera panned away from Picard looking out of the Enterprise, Gwen was surprised to see that Dean had a similar look on his face. "Dean? What's wrong? I thought you liked Best of Both Worlds." They'd taken a break from both research and combat practice to just sit and watch some good television. Sam had bowed out earlier and Castiel was back in heaven to find out information his own way after coming back to heal Dean's arm completely when it was obvious anything she could do wasn't enough.

"I do. It's a great pair of episodes." He said with a slight shake of his head like he was clearing his head. "Ignore me, it's stupid."

"No, asking me to ignore you is stupid." She countered, grabbing the remote and turning off the TV before moving so she was sitting facing him as he rested back against the head of the bed. "Tell me." If he felt comfortable with talking to her about stuff that he didn't seem to feel comfortable with talking about with Castiel or Sam, she was more than happy to listen.

He breathed out and then shrugged. "I just...I kinda understand Picard, at the end of that episode. Remembering what he'd done, the lives he'd taken. I've been there myself." He said with a slight dismissive wave of his hand, referring to the character being assimilated by the Borg and taking part in the destruction of a Federation fleet sent to stop them.

No matter what anyone ever said about Dean Winchester, they could never say he wasn't a man of profound feeling and even more profound guilt. Was this the kind of thing he thought about when he was alone and the reason he drank so much? "Tell me." She said simply, knowing from her own career as a Protector already what he was talking about. Maybe the chat they'd had the night before had stuck in his head a bit.

"The Mark, the one Cain gave me, it takes over. Makes you want to kill, more than that, need it. And the high from killing was addictive. The rage, the blood, the terror, all of it." He shifted on the bed. "I lost count of how many people I killed, actual people not just demons after I got the Mark. I slaughtered them. The Steins, those idiots that time with Claire. Forget about what I did in Hell before the Mark."

"The Steins deserved it, Dean. Sam told me about Charlie." She remembered the way the younger hunter's eyes were beyond sad as he spoke of their lost friend, slaughtered for her theft of the Book of the Damned. Ironically, it would be that book that had helped in the removal of the Mark. "I would have done the same damn thing if she had been my friend. You aren't the only one who has acted on rage and vengeance."

"I killed a kid, Gwen. A kid. He was barely 15. Probably never even saw a girl naked before and I shot him right here in the Bunker. He didn't try to attack me or even have a weapon. I just put him down." He sighed and looked away, at the wall that held some of his personal preferred weapons, including an obsidian ax from Purgatory. "And then I beat Cass bloody and nearly killed him."

"That wasn't you. It was the Mark. Even when you were a demon."

"I see you talking but I hear Sam and Cass." He quipped wryly. "I still did it."

"And you spent 40 years in Hell after being torn apart by hellhounds and over a year in Purgatory fighting for your existence. Don't dismiss what that did to you." She shook her head. "I think we all forget that mentally we're all much older than we look and we should give ourselves some leeway for that."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Time in Purgatory is like Hell or Heaven. It's different than on Earth. You know that. Besides being in Purgatory, I've had my experiences. The way I figure it, I'm 36 physically but between things that have happened as a Protector and the experiences I remember from Briathos, I'm probably pushing triple digits. Probably the same for you and definitely for Sam, even with Castiel absorbing his Hell memories."

"How do you deal then? I feel like a friggin' teenage girl with all the angst I keep spewing at you."

"I focus on the good I've done. The people I've helped. I don't think I would be here now if it wasn't for the Rez holding me up. Especially after everything with The Darkness." She let out a breath and looked at Dean who was watching her with curious eyes. "It got pretty bad. I was lost but they found me. They pulled me back."

"I'm looking forward to when we go. I honestly don't remember very much from when we were there before." They'd all briefly talked about taking a trip to the Rez, Gwen eager to go home and the brothers not entirely eager to just let the woman go yet. Something about her just clicked with them and she was good in a fight besides. If the threat from the Annihilists became a real thing, they'd need her if they wanted to win. That much Dean was sure of.

She smirked. "I think you were more excited about your dad and Bobby letting you help them with the hunt than anything else."

He nodded, a faint smile on his face. "It was all so much easier then it felt like."

"And all we wanted was to be an adult. How fucking stupid were we?"

"Dude."


	13. Chapter 13

**Gwen POV**

Gwen sighed as she disconnected the call and put her phone back in her pocket. She really wanted to go home to the Rez and that call hadn't been the first from someone back home asking when she was coming back. This time it'd been the chief elder, Michael Many Moons. _You have a responsibility first to the Rez, Dancing Bird. Anything outside the Rez should be second, even if it involves your angel friend or whatever. Let those white hunters handle it. They've been doing fine without you._

That was just the issue though. How many of the problems that the boys had dealt with over the last few years would have been made easier if they'd had some extra backup? She knew that it was pointless to agonize over it. Just the same, if Michael thought that she was going to just let this Annihilation thing happen, he had another thing coming. Michael was a good leader, a very democratic one but at the same time, he was a bit too traditional at times and could be rather stubborn. While she tended to stay close to the Rez, she couldn't ignore a threat as big as this one if she was able to help.

There was no way she was going to sit back and let anything happen to Castiel, not after she managed to find him and reconnect with him again. Nevermind that she wanted to do something, anything, to honor the memories of Bria, Ruth and Jeremiah. She knew there were some on the Rez who blamed the presence of the angels for the Darkness coming to Three Meadows and maybe that was true. But that thing parading as a woman also came because of mother and herself. If The Darkness was looking for brighter souls, Protector souls very much fit the bill.

She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. There was no reason they couldn't try and work on this issue from the Rez. She'd wager the Rez was almost as safe as the Bunker was but wasn't so confined. And she wanted to extend the same hospitality that the boys had shown her the last two weeks. She knew hunters had a tendency to isolate themselves and that was near impossible at Three Meadows. It was time for them to spend some time in a community where they didn't have to hide what they did or pretend to be something they weren't.

She left the guest room where she'd been on the phone and headed out to where she heard the now familiar voices of the two Winchesters. It was time for a talk and not one she really wanted to have.

Dean and Sam were sitting in the library, arguing over what they could possibly do next to find out anything about the Annihilation. They still hadn't figured out a way to get the book to be safe for angels or anyone with a touch of angel to them so it was still sitting in the iron box in their dungeon rather than risk what happened when she and Castiel had been near it. It no doubt held answers to many of their questions but they couldn't risk opening it again. They didn't know who was running the show or how to find out who was running it because she'd killed their only leads. They had no idea how big this was or even how far along it was.

In other words, they were nowhere.

But there was an avenue they hadn't explored yet. An avenue she hadn't mentioned because she desperately wanted to avoid going down that road. At least not until she got to go home to the Rez again. She was going to need the strength that the people there gave her if she was going to open that door.

"Hey Gwen. Any word from any of your contacts?" Sam sitting back from the table with a sigh. "None of ours are panning out. It's just too big."

She didn't answer right away. This was going to be harder to explain than she thought.

"Gwen? What's up?" Dean asked, his eyes showing concern.

She sighed and decided just to go for it. "Is there anywhere around here we can walk? Like a park or something? I'm feeling claustrophobic in here."

The boys looked at each other and she knew they both knew it wasn't really claustrophobia.

"Yeah, there's forest all around here. Will that do?"

She nodded. "Yeah. And yes, I'll explain everything."

* * *

They walked for a while, none of them talking. Gwen tried to focus on the feel of the ground under her feet, changing into her reinforced moccasins to make it that much easier. The day was bright and clear, the sun that made it through the trees was comforting. Just like it had been when she'd finally been able to go home after Chicago. She must have spent weeks outside just to get some sense of herself back. To feel human again. Like a person and not a mindless animal. Little had she known that she'd effectively gotten the best crash course training in how to survive Purgatory less than a year later.

"Gwen, what's going on?"

"Wait a second." She looked up in the sky and then closed her eyes. "Castiel, it's Gwen, if you have a chance..."

"What's wrong?"

She gave a little smile at how fast her old guardian had responded to her prayer. No doubt he'd picked up on the way she was feeling thanks to the memories she was dredging up in an effort not only to be helpful but to be completely honest with the Winchesters who'd been very welcoming and trusting of her in a short time. She'd remembered how Castiel had been so concerned outside that house in Arizona when she'd referred to a time of having it worse and now she was going to be honest with him too.

"Nothing's wrong, old man. I just...there's some stuff I need to tell the boys about and I need to tell you too. You should know. We're all okay right now, I just don't want to have to tell this story more than once."

The angel gave her a look that was particularly piercing with the blue eyes of his vessel but didn't say anything, his eyes and the way he held his wings told her he was very concerned. They began walking again and it took a few minutes before she was able to figure out a way to start.

She sighed. "I know you boys are wondering why Crowley is so nice to me or why I trust him so implicitly. I know you've all had your share of bad dealings with him. It's more than just the way he came looking for my Unci's help or that my mom and I saved him from Abaddon's assassins. It has to do with what happened in Chicago." She paused. "I'm assuming you guys know about the 5 monster families that run the city's underground. The Jinn, werewolves, shifters, ghouls and vamps."

The two shared a look while Castiel seemed to know about the situation not only in Chicago but also in New York and not be very happy about it. "We had a run in with them. Managed to help stop a war."

She nodded. "Yeah, I heard about that near miss. To be honest, it's just a matter of time but for now, any peace is good."

"What do they have to do with you?" The angel asked bluntly.

"Remember how I told you that I'd had a miscarriage because of a shifter about 10 years ago?"

They all nodded.

"That shifter had been Annalise Lassiter. Her husband was the leader of the shifters in Chicago. His daughter runs it now. The part I didn't tell you is that after she kicked me and was moving in for the kill, I managed to knock her down and kill her. After that, it wasn't safe for me or my mother anywhere near Chicago."

"They put a hit out on you?" Dean said incredulously. "Like the friggin' mob?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Part of the reason I always fight with iron or silver. Always need to be ready for when they made their move. Years went by and nothing happened."

"Were they lulling you into a false sense of security?"

"Well we saved Crowley and helped him to detox and Abaddon found out about it. So she offered me up to Margo in return for all of Chicago when she had full control of hell. I guess she saw me as the bigger prize verses my mother because of Annalise."

"So the shifters made a deal with a Knight of Hell?"

"Not all the shifters. Margo did. I think she was mostly mad because I killed her mother before she could. Her mother would have taken over after her husband and if Margo killed her, it would be a sign of strength. I robbed her of that, so she decided to play the vengeance card. Abaddon just wanted to use me as an example for what would happen to the next person who sheltered Crowley instead of giving him up."

"So then what happened?"

"I was on a case in Kansas, near Washita and got jumped. I gave as good as I could, but they managed to take me. But Margo's goal wasn't to kill me outright. She wanted me to suffer." She sighed, remembering how it all began, being chained and beaten repeatedly before being released into The Arena. "You guys have heard of the Hunger Games?"

"The book? With Katnip whatever with the bow?" Dean asked, confused.

"I have. They are very depressing and sad." Castiel said, no doubt one of the books that Metatron had "gifted" him with knowledge of before he revealed what kind of angel he really was. One of the very few good things the Scribe had done was to give Castiel a better understanding of popular culture and literature.

Gwen couldn't help but snicker a little. "Yeah. Turns out the idea of that is very popular among the elite of the monster families, especially in Chicago. A few of them claim to have been in Rome when the Coliseum was wall to wall gladiator matches. So they decided what would be better than to throw a few hunters they grabbed, some civilians who had no idea what was going on along with the worst of the worst of their own and then those they deemed fit to punish."

"A fight to the death?"

She nodded. "And the Jinn did something to that place, The Arena, that messed with time. A spell maybe, I don't know. All I know is that it felt like I was there a lot longer than it actually was." She clenched her jaw. "Not that time really mattered. Survival did."

"Worse than Purgatory?"

She looked to Dean who had a sympathetic look in his eye as they all made their way down an embankment. "Believe it or not, yes. At least Purgatory is all monsters. It messed with my head for a long time because I learned the hard lesson that humans can be worse monsters when they want to."

"We've experienced that too." Sam said quietly. "How did you get out?"

"My mom found out where I was. The leader of the wolves, Julian, was pissed that Margo had made a deal with Abaddon, at least before he could, so he sent her word of where I was and what was going on."

"And your mother came and rescued you?" Castiel asked simply.

Gwen shook her head. "She couldn't. It would have been a suicide mission. You can't imagine the amount of spectators for something like that, including humans. And Margo has the police in her pocket. My mom wouldn't have gotten within 10 miles of The Arena. They were expecting her to try something." Gwen took a deep breath. "So she did what she thought was her only option. She summoned a crossroads demon in hopes of making a deal."

Dean briefly closed his eyes. "Oh no. No, that never works out. Especially if there's no way of knowing who the demon was loyal to."

Gwen nodded, tapping her own nose. "But she lucked out. Most of the crossroads demons at least were still loyal to Crowley. What neither of us knew then was that in addition to putting a ban on any demon activity around the Rez, Crowley also put a ban on anyone from Three Meadows making a deal."

Both Winchesters stopped short in shock and Castiel looked baffled.

"Wait, wait, wait. You are telling us that Crowley actually put the kibosh on potential souls?"

"Crazy, I know."

"The same Crowley we know?" Castiel asked after sharing a look with Sam.

"Same one."

"So what happened when your mom tried to make the deal?" Sam asked with curiosity.

"Crowley found out and went to her wondering why she would do something so incredibly stupid." She shrugged. "She told him what was going on and how there was no way to save me and that her soul was worth saving her baby." She swallowed, her throat feeling tight, blinking a little. "How ironic that would be just a couple years later, now that I think about it."

"Gwen, let's sit." Castiel gently led her over to a good sized boulder and encouraged her to sit while he, Sam and Dean took seats on a tree that had fallen over.

"Our dad did the same thing in a way with Azazel. He gave up his soul to save Dean." Sam spoke up after a moment, pointing out the link between their parents.

She nodded, dabbing at her eyes. She'd been so mad at her mother when she found out about it. Her mother had been unapologetic and said she wouldn't have done it any differently if it meant getting Gwen home safe. "Yeah, Bobby told me years ago. Always thought it was noble. But I was so mad at my mom when I found out what she tried to do."

Dean nodded, loosely threading his fingers together between his knees. "Yeah I was too but then I went and did it for Sammy. It's love, it makes you do the crazy."

Sam smiled just a little and then affectionately knocked Dean backwards off the tree.

Gwen snickered and Castiel had a faint smile on his lips as Dean cursed and threw a handful of leaves at his younger brother before retaking his seat. "So what happened then?"

"Crowley, my mom, the toughest of the Rez defenders and a couple dozen demons laid siege to The Arena. And then my mom held a blade of silver to Margo's throat while Crowley told her on no uncertain terms that Abaddon didn't have the true power in Hell, he did. As such, my mother, myself and the entire Rez had the protection of Hell. If she tried anything, even through an associate and she'd never see him coming."

Dean looked impressed. "All that because you and your mom saved him?"

She shrugged. "That and I think he had been a little sweet on my grandmother. She was tough as nails and I think he likes that. I think maybe he was protecting us out of respect to her as much as a thank you for what we did for him."

Sam shook his head. "Wow. How long were you in that arena?"

"I don't know. I wasn't...I wasn't me when I got out at first. I was like an animal or something. Feral almost. I don't know if they did something to me or that was just my most basic survival instincts. I was missing for three weeks before my mom found out where I was, another week before the rescue. In the Arena itself, I think it was longer. It felt like so much longer."

"How many were left?"

She looked down, not wanting to see the looks on their faces. "Very few. Too few." She could still see their faces, feel their blood on her hands, hear their pleading screams. "A lot of them didn't make it out because of me."

"You did what you had to do to survive." Dean said quietly. "No shame in that."

She chuckled without any humor. "That's what I told myself." She looked up. "In there, the more you killed, the better your weapons, your supplies. They rewarded you for killing. More if you were especially brutal." She looked away. "I learned that pretty fast. Went right to the top of the class." She looked back to see sympathy in their eyes, especially Dean's. "Didn't hold out for a day, let alone 30 years."

"You had no choice, Gwen." Castiel spoke up, sadness in his eyes. "You did what you had to. We have all been forced to make that choice."

"Yeah."

They were all quiet for a while and she tried to concentrate on the sounds of nature around her to drown out the memories. The sound of the leaves instead of the screams. The smell of the earth verses the smell of blood and sweat and fear.

"How does this relate to Annihilation?" Sam spoke up, no doubt trying to distract her from the memories that threatened.

She took a deep breath. "It made me think of alliances. The five families all hate each other, some more than others. What they have in common though, is they see humans as just puppy chow or something to play with. Like Abaddon did. What if this Annihilation is a group effort?"

"Monsters and demons?"

"And humans." Sam piped up. "We aren't the only ones who've encountered angels, that whammy they put on Cass back in Arizona proves that. Maybe there are humans who think that things would be better without them. Think of all the people who went missing and died after the angels fell and there was the war with Metatron. Hell, look at Claire. She hated Cass for how long? How many others would have a grudge for the loss of their family members and friends?"

"Wait, the daughter of Castiel's vessel?"

Castiel nodded. "Both her parents died as a result of my taking Jimmy Novak as my vessel. Claire had a difficult time adapting to the loss and the reasoning behind it. She is now with Sam and Dean's friend Jody out in South Dakota. She's doing better."

Gwen's eyes widened. "Wait, Jody Mills? Bobby's sheriff friend? Her son came back from the dead and killed her husband and now she has two adopted daughters? Holy buffalo shit, that Claire is Claire Novak?" She thought about it and realized the girl actually did have a tiny bit of a resemblance to Castiel's vessel. Go figure.

The brothers shared another look that Castiel seemed not to share. "Is there anyone we know that you don't?"

She chuckled. "There's a sister reservation not too far from Sioux Falls and they don't have a protector so sometimes my mom and I would head that way to keep an eye out for them. Bobby introduced me to Jody so she wouldn't try to arrest me if I was working a case and we ran into each other."

"Makes sense."

She shook her head. "I've met Claire, brought her and Jody with me to Indian Hills once during a hunt for a werewolf. I guess they got their hunting bug from you two?"

The brother shrugged.

"You hunted a werewolf with Claire?" Castiel sounded shocked. "That's incredibly reckless."

She held up her hand. "She wasn't in any danger, old man. She and Jody focused on research and questioning and I did the actual take down. She was nowhere near the werewolf at any time. Of course if I'd realized who she was, I probably wouldn't have even let her do that much." She shook her head at the look on his face. "Would you rather have had her go off on her own because Jody wouldn't let her hunt or I refused to let her help?"

"No. I just feel she has been through enough. Becoming a hunter would not improve her chances of a long life."

"What does these days?" Dean quipped darkly. "Come on. Let's head back to the Bunker." He stood and held out a hand to help Gwen stand. "Thanks for telling us that. I know it wasn't easy."

She nodded, feeling better for finally getting it out in the open.

"I appreciate your honesty as well. Though I will admit, I now want to smite this Margo personally."

Gwen smiled a little as both Winchesters nodded in agreement. "Thanks boys. But if anyone takes that shifter bitch down, it's gonna be me. Let's head back and I'll make dinner tonight."


	14. Chapter 14

**Dean POV**

Dean nudged Sam as they made their way back to the Impala, having volunteered to go to the store to pick up a few things for the dinner Gwen was planning on making. Cass had understandably stayed behind, no doubt to continue the talk about what had happened to Gwen in that Arena thing. The trip also gave the brothers a chance to talk to someone who also knew about that dark time in Gwen's life.

"Hello boys." Crowley greeted from his spot, leaning against the side of the Impala. "You rang?"

"Gwen told us about Chicago. About the Arena."

It was amazing to see Crowley, the self proclaimed King of Hell who'd tried on numerous occasions to kill them both, almost surprised. "I see. And you want what, the gory details?"

"Does she still have that protection you granted?" Sam asked, opening the trunk to put the few bags they had inside.

"Of course she does. The entire reservation does. Why?"

"Gwen had a theory that these Annihilists might be a cooperative between monsters, demons and humans. Given the upheaval Hell has had in the last few years, do you think it's possible?"

Crowley silently shoved his hands in his black overcoat. "More than possible, probable. There are still demons stubbornly waving the Abaddon flag. And then those who are more than a bit peeved at me for helping raise Amara." He shrugged. "You aren't planning something stupid like taking Gwen to Chicago, are you? If her theory is right, it would be even more dangerous for her now that she's got that shiny angel grace fused to her."

"Not yet." Dean said, realizing the demon was right. If the big monster families were involved, they'd really want her dead for being fused with an angel. "I want to avoid that if we can. I'm assuming there's still a hit out for her there by that shifter bitch?"

"Probably. Though word is Margo has more to worry about from within her own ranks than from our very own Gwen. That said, going to Chicago still wouldn't be the brightest of ideas. Hows this? I'll send Mother. She'd enjoy a field trip to the Windy City. She can poke around, torture a few, flambe others and see what she can dig up."

Sam shook his head. "No, we don't want to draw attention. We don't know if they realize who stopped their warlocks in Arizona and if Rowena shows up, it's as good as directing these Annihilists right at us and right at Three Meadows. Something tells me that if they are willing to attempt to commit angel genocide, going against the King of Hell's oath of protection wouldn't bother them."

Crowley nodded, his eyes guarded. He didn't like when attention was made to the fact that his power in Hell wasn't as absolute as he thought it was. "Point made, Moose. What's the plan then?"

"We lay low, keep our ears open. Cass is working on trying to unite the angels for their own good and that's taking longer than you'd think. They are preoccupied with finding Lucifer. Any luck there?"

The demon shook his head. "No. Either he hasn't been able to find a suitable vessel or he was too badly injured after being thrown out of dear Castiel. I'm surprised he hasn't tried to contact you, Sam, being his true vessel and all."

Dean saw the way Sam clenched his jaw, still terrified of Lucifer even after reluctantly working with him just a few months earlier. Then, they'd had Chuck's protection. Lucifer couldn't touch them. Now, anything was potentially up for grabs. "Let's worry about what's right in front of us, not possibilities. We're heading back to the Bunker. We're heading to Three Meadows in a few days."

Crowley nodded. "Good. I'll call and let you know if Mother has made any progress on that book. I'd suggest taking it with you given how well warded the reservation is."

Dean nodded. He'd thought about that already, making sure to keep the damned thing in the iron box until it was safe for both Gwen and Cass to be around.

"Well then, I'll chat you boys up later. I'm assuming Castiel is with Gwen after her little confession about the Arena?"

"Yeah. She was pretty upset, reliving it." Sam spoke up. He would know considering how he'd struggled to deal with memories of Hell. Dean could sympathize in a whole other way. The personal shame from being driven to the point of the worst most horrendous acts just for your own preservation was overwhelming.

"It's understandable." The demon said with a touch of what almost sounded like sympathy in his voice. "The Arena and what happened there makes Hell look like a trip to Lollipop Land."

Dean had had a feeling it was that bad.

* * *

"Hey Dean. Almost packed?"

He looked up from the trunk of the Impala to where Gwen was making her way up the stairs into the garage. This time tomorrow, they'd be on the road for Montana and Three Meadows. It was strange how excited he actually felt. "Hey. Yeah, almost. I know you have your own armory, but I'm bringing some back up."

She shrugged. "Make sense. Listen, can I talk to you about something kinda important about going to the Rez?"

He furrowed his brow and nodded, closing the trunk and leaning against it. "Sure. What's up?"

She took a deep breath before she answered. "There's no delicate way to put this so I'm just going to say it. We don't allow alcohol on our land. At all."

He blinked. They what? "Excuse me?"

"Listen, my people and alcohol have a bad history and my great grandfather's generation decided to stop the cycle by banning it. Kind of helped with Prohibition going on. It's not that we don't allow drinking, just not on the Rez."

"Where do people go then?"

"A couple bars in the nearest towns. They just happen to be about 30 miles away."

He thought about this. "And you don't think I'd be able to deal with that?"

She held up her hands. "No, I think you can. I didn't want to surprise you with it, that's all."

"I'm not an alcoholic, Gwen." He said, feeling a bit more bitter than someone saying those words probably should if it was the truth. She hadn't known him that long, did she already assume he had a problem? "I can go without it. I have gone with out it. I survived Purgatory, didn't I?"

"I know you can go without it Dean. I never said you were an alcoholic. I'm pretty sure if you were, Castiel would have stepped in and given you the angelic version of cold turkey. Believe me, you don't want that."

"Angelic cold turkey?"

"We had a domestic going on, about a year ago. Silas Two Lakes managed to smuggle not just gin but some drugs onto the Rez and then got himself completely wrecked and thought it'd be fun to not just nearly beat his wife and daughter to death, but to try and take on whoever he could. To be honest, for a second I thought Bria was just going to smite him just for the justice of it." She paused. "His daughter was only about 4."

Dean sucked a breath in through his teeth, closing his eyes even though it was his own imagination filling his mind with what that'd been like. How could anyone beat on a little baby like that? "She should have. Asshole."

She shrugged. "I think he wished she had too. Instead she used her power and completely cleaned him out, all at once. She did it in such a way that he went into immediate detox but he was conscious for the whole thing. The shakes and the vomiting and all of it."

"What happened to his wife and daughter?"

"We healed them. They are much better and his daughter doesn't remember that night at all thanks to Bria. No need for her to."

"And this Silas guy?"

Her head dropped. "Amara got him. She was going for his daughter and he threw himself at her to give Ruth a chance to get her away." Her head came back up with a smile. "He died a man, a warrior. Bria gave him that chance."

Dean was quiet for long moments, his mind absently thinking about fathers who sacrificed themselves for their children before he spoke again. "Thanks for telling me. I'll be okay. You guys allow pie, right?"

"Oh fuck yeah. Elizabeth Sings in Grass is known for her pies. Custer himself would show up at the Rez to get one of her pies, trust me."

"Well then, you introduce me to her and we'll be just fine. Is she hot?"

Gwen snorted. "She's 86."

He smirked. "She could still be hot."

Her laughter echoed in the garage.


	15. Chapter 15

**Dean POV**

So far Dean was pretty impressed by what he saw of Three Meadows after he saw the sign telling them they were entering the reservation. He didn't remember very much from the visit so many years ago but he was pretty sure he would have remembered such a beautiful well kept area. Sam's eyes had lit up and he'd smacked Dean's arm repeatedly when they first saw buffalo, grazing not far from the fence line. The closer they got to the actual settlement of Three Meadows, the more they saw. It looked like the people of the Rez were doing their best to make sure the animals never reached extinction.

He followed Gwen on her bike, amazed at just how big the actual reservation was compared to what he barely remembered from their visit 20 years earlier. Then again, he probably had been so focused on being allowed to help on a hunt that he didn't notice much of anything. The settlement began with a few buildings, almost like a subtle fence before entering the town proper. It looked like nearly any small mid-Western town he'd been in, though many of the buildings were unique in style and the stores were a touch different. There was Two Shoes Shoe and Moccassin Shop, The Lakota Mart, Set a Fire Coffee Shop and others.

Continuing to follow Gwen's lead, Dean slowed to a stop when he saw her brake lights and parked behind her on what looked like one of the main streets. Gwen had told them that the reservation was often called the Reservation of Isolation because they tended to keep to themselves. If this was the result of doing that, he could see why they kept to it.

"Dean? Where is everyone? I thought Gwen said there were 1000 or more people here. I haven't seen one." Sam looked around, his brow furrowed. "With all these stores and houses, there should be people walking around, right?"

"I dunno Sammy."

They both got out of the car hesitantly, looking to Gwen who looked just as confused, dismounting the bike. Her eyes looked back and forth and then forward to them. "Before you even ask, I know, it's too quiet."

Just then there was a chorus of shouts, high pitched yells and yelps just before he felt something break across his chest, then his face and then the top of his head.

Cold water.

He turned just in time to see Sam get pelted with at least 4 well aimed water balloons like a scene out of Platoon. Then people seemed to come out of the woodwork, some with what looked like water guns, a couple with angel blades, guns and the like. A weapon theoretically for all occassions and threats. A look up showed the water balloons had come from a number of children who were mostly shielding themselves in the windows on the second floor of the surrounding building, armed with more.

And Gwen, who hadn't been pelted at all, was on her knees laughing so hard she was crying.

"What the serious hell, Gwen!?" He demanded, wiping at his face with one hand before using both to try and get as much of the water out of his hair only to feel it slide down his back making him move quickly to take his cellphone out of his pocket before it could be damaged. "Holy water balloons? Really?"

That just made her laugh harder, gesturing with one hand and saying something in giggling Lakota to the group, the weapons going away and some laughing as well. Two women approached them with towels, giving them smiles before stepping back and away.

"Ah. Oh. I can't even breathe! Oh man that was awesome." She giggled, wiping at her face with both hands. "Donna Red Tree, PLEASE tell me you recorded that."

"Oh I recorded it. That was better than Fetterman."

Gwen snorted, nodding to the other woman who held up her cellphone in triumph wearing a shirt that read Lakotas Make Better Lovers. She then turned to the boys. "Welcome to Three Meadows and one of our safety drills."

"Safety drill?" Sam said, pulling his face away from the fluffy towel. He wasn't angry somehow, but more intrigued. Go figure.

"I returned from essentially a hunt and I didn't tell them anyone was coming with me. You were strangers who could have forced me to lead you here under duress somehow getting past the warding and traps, hence the real Homeland Security here."

"Thanks for giving us the heads up." Dean groused, vigorously rubbing the towel over his head. He hated surprises like that.

"What fun would that be?"

"It's effective. I mean, if we had been demons, we would have been sidelined enough to be ganked." Sam theorized. "It's a good way for kids to help without being in danger." He waved up at a couple kids who were still watching them with curious eyes, getting a few hesitant waves back.

"Don't justify this Sammy! I'm friggin' soaked!"

Gwen gave him a smile. "Good thing we're near my house. Come on, grab your bags and you can get changed before I show you around."

 **Sam POV**

Sam made his way downstairs, finding Gwen's home to be a very accurate representation of her. It was far from the trailer her grandmother had had that he'd spent most of his time at when they'd first been here so many years ago. It wasn't a huge house, just a four bedroom but it was comfortable just the same. It still had a ton of plants, many of which he recognized for their healing properties and had stylishly painted warding symbols throughout. He wondered if she found it a comfort living in it all alone when before it had been where she had lived with her mother and grandmother.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, finding a small collection of pictures like he and Dean had back at the Bunker and stepped closer to check them out. One was of Gwen as a baby being held by a serious looking man who must have been her father who was standing next to a woman that Gwen was the spitting image of now, her mother. In front of them was her grandmother, looking up at her granddaughter and smiling. The funny thing was that baby Gwen seemed to be focused on what looked like a lens flare that'd made it into the final picture.

"Before you ask, that's not a lens flare."

He managed not to jump at how she'd managed to sneak up on him. "Ghost?"

"Spirit actually. My grandfather. At least that's what Unci said. He'd died just before I was born and she told me that he came to visit a few times before finally letting go and joining our ancestors in the Happy Hunting Grounds."

"You look just like your mom." It was strange how most of his vague memories of their time at the Rez when he was a kid focused around Gwen's grandmother more than anything. Maybe it was because her mother had been more focused on the hunt and keeping an eye on the strangers there after the Wendigo. And she hadn't kept feeding him fry bread like Gwen's Unci had.

She smiled, sadly. "Thanks." She blinked a moment before pointing to another picture. "This is one of the last pictures I have of her. This was before the Darkness came. We're with Angela, John and Rose, the vessels for Bria, Ruth and Jeremiah."

He looked closer to see that the group was standing in front of what looked like the new clinic for the reservation, two of the angel's vessels were dressed in white coats. "Were there a lot of angels that fell around here?"

She nodded, leading him away from the photo wall and to the living room area. "It felt like the whole of the heavens were falling down on us. Ruth actually fell through the roof of the old clinic, she was the first one we found and were able to help. That's what had us rally and go out to try and find and help as many as we could." She shook her head, hugging herself. "The second I realized the angels were falling, I had to help."

"Because one of them could have been Castiel."

She nodded. "Yeah."

"How many did you find?"

"Seven total. The fall was harder on some than others. One of the four that didn't make it...she...she couldn't deal with what happened. It sounds unbelievable, but she killed herself rather than be forced to live among humans. Just smited herself without even giving it a try."

Sam shook his head. "I think Cass said there were a few that had that problem. That saw us the same way that Raphael or Bartholomew did." He followed her into the kitchen and took a seat at the table while they waited for Dean. "So I have to say, Three Meadows looks a lot different than my vague memories and nothing like any reservation I've seen in movies or on TV."

She grinned with pride. "Thanks. We've put a lot of work into that. Plus when you manage to help a large construction firm by saving the owners' children from a pack of Rugarus, you get some pretty sweet thanks. That's where this house came from. They helped rebuild a lot of the Rez, before the economy tanked anyway. Got people interested in building and now we have our own construction crew. Their pride is the tribal clinic that Ruth pretty much forced the reconstruction of."

"It's impressive, really." He stretched his legs, looking around the living room and recognizing a few more protective sigils as well as a few well disguised weapons and such. "You live here alone?"

"Lately, yeah. Sometimes the Rez kids come for a big sleepover or something but for the most part it's just me now. It hasn't been a home really since Mom and everything. It'll be nice to have other people here, even if just for a bit."

"See if you are still saying that when Sammy uses up all the hot water." Dean said, joining them in new dry clothes. "You sure you don't mind us staying here?"

She gave him a grin. "Best way to keep an eye on you, don't you think? Come on, let's go for a walk. I'll show you around. I'm sure word has spread about the Protector bringing home stray washitus."

"I'm not a stray! I've had my shots!"

Gwen laughed and shoved Dean on the shoulder before leading the way to the front door.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note:** Feedback please! Comment or something here or on Tumblr hellobitchpudding. I'm sorry for my butchery of Lakota, I blame Google!

 **Dean POV**

" _Haw Gwen Owaci Zitcala Ah Kay wan chee keyn ktay low_!" A middle aged man all but shouted from the other side of the street with a big grin. His graying hair was in a braid, like many Dean had seen that day along with what seemed to be regular dress, namely flannels and jeans. Maybe he and Sammy would fit in here, especially if someone braided Sam's hair.

" _Pilaymaya, John Tapa Tacha! Doe ksh kay ya oun hey_?" Gwen responded with an equal grin and a wave.

" _Waste_!" The man said with a nod, though Dean was pretty sure that the man wasn't talking about laundry because it sounded like he'd just said wash day or wash tay.

"Hey Gwen, does everyone here speak Lakota?" Sam asked after the man continued on.

"It's a mix really. Lakota is actually spoken more than English but that's not that common outside of Three Meadows."

"So is English your second language?"

She grinned. "Try closer to third or fourth. My first language was Lakota though thanks to a certain guardian angel, my first spoken word was Enochian."

Sam smiled. "Really? What was it?"

" _Paida_. It means always. Castiel didn't spend all his time here when he was my guardian but we had this thing where I'd ask him in some way if he would come back and that's what he would say."

"What were you and that guy saying?" Dean asked, curious. He didn't like not knowing what was being said around him. He could understand a little Spanish and could fumble his way through some other languages that were Latin based. Lakota didn't make any sense to him at all.

"He said hello and said it was good to see me."

"So you really do say _how_ to say hello?"

"Yeah. I mean, I would say _how kola_ to you, that puts emphasis on gender."

"And what was _Owasi Zitcala_?" Sam asked, sounding out the word with an almost pained look on his face because he didn't want to offend Gwen by butchering her language.

She gave him a smile instead. "Very good, Sam! That's my Lakota name. Obviously Gwen doesn't really translate into Lakota. The man I greeted is John Black Deer. _Tapa_ means black. If someone came to me saying they saw a person with _tapa ist_ , I'd know they meant a demon."

" _Ist_ means eyes." Dean concluded.

She turned her grin to him now and he felt like a kid getting something right in school. Well, maybe not entirely that innocent. "That's right. You'll hear _pilaymaya_ a lot, that means thank you and _waste_ means I'm good."

Dean nodded, he was right in his first guess. "I figured he wasn't talking about laundry."

Gwen giggled, shaking her head. "It does sound like wash day in English. Those things always make me laugh, between the different languages." She took them down a street that almost looked like it could be in any suburban neighborhood anywhere. "Everyone here speaks English by the way, don't let them try to trick you by pretending they don't. And if you find kids running up to you and touching you before running away, they are just counting _coup_. It's been a while since they've had white men to do that to."

"Counting coup?" Dean asked. What the hell was coo? "What is that?"

"Isn't it something about showing more bravery in just touching an enemy without killing them?" Sam spoke up.

"Very good Sam!" Gwen praised with a bit of surprise. "That's exactly right. Native warfare wasn't always about killing, neither was gaining honor or status within the tribe. We stole ponies and weapons back and forth more than we killed each other, that was coup too. Pictures you've seen of headdresses with tons of feathers was a display of how many coup that man or sometimes woman counted."

"So it's like a game of gotcha?"

She pondered it a moment before nodding. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Hey, Gwen Dancing Bird! You brought us a _washta chiye tanka_ and _washta ptecila_ today? That's an impressive hunt!"

Dean turned to see an older Native woman sitting out on her porch with a pipe. Gwen had explained that in her role as Protector, she knew just about everyone on the Rez. They'd seen that in action as nearly every person they came upon had some form of greeting for her, like the Black Deer guy. No doubt this woman had watched her grow up into the woman she was today. A woman Dean wasn't afraid to say he was rather impressed with. He'd thought she was kickass before but now he was seeing her at home, as a leader and Protector. Somehow it made him wonder if that's what hunting should be like instead of the near thankless vagabond experience it actually was. "What'd she just call us?" He hated when he didn't know what was going on.

Gwen was covering her mouth with one hand, trying to stifle her laugh but finding it not that easy to do apparently. Now he really wanted to know. "I don't think you want to know."

"Come on." He sighed and let his head drop, waving with one hand. "Just tell us. I swear everyone here is out to get us." At least it felt like that after their impromptu one sided water balloon fight.

She giggled. "She called Sam, _washta chiye tanka_. Essentially that means pretty or handsome Big Elder Brother, which is what the Lakota call," she paused for a snort. "It's what we call Bigfoot."

Dean barked out a laugh at that one as Sam threw his hands in the air and took a few steps away muttering about how he really wasn't THAT tall. At Three Meadows, his height was even more pronounced with more than one kid looking at him with wide impressed eyes. "Okay, so Pretty Samsquatch. Okay, not bad. What about me? She called me pretty too didn't she?" He gave the older woman a playful wink making her smile. No harm in it.

Gwen bit her lip before answering. "Very good, you heard _washta_ twice." She paused, giggling again. " _Precila_ means little buffalo."

"Little Buffalo? Are you friggin' kidding?" Now Sam was back in the game laughing, his arms crossed over his chest in pride. Asshole.

"Buffalo are sacred to us, it's honestly not an insult. You walk strong, confident, like a true _ozuye_ , a warrior."

"Little though? Come on, I'm 6'1! Just cuz chinny taka or whatever here is three friggin' inches taller..."

Gwen laughed right outloud, not even trying to hide it anymore. "Oh you washitu and your worries about size. Sweetheart, you aren't as big as a _tatanka_ , a buffalo. Therefore, little."

Oh. Well shit. "Oh. Okay then." He tugged down on his jacket and sent a little wave to the older woman who was watching them in amusement.

"By the way, that's Elizabeth Sings in Grass. Remember you were asking about the pie?"

"Ooh! Excuse me!" He headed straight up the walkway to where the older woman was. "Hi sweetheart. Gwen said you are the expert on making pies around here!"

 **Sam POV**

"Where is that angel?" Gwen muttered under her breath as Dean worked to charm the old woman on the porch into making him one of her famous pies. From the looks of it, it was working. Dean had no shame, especially about pie. "Castiel!"

Cass appeared at Gwen's side a moment later and Sam fought the urge to roll his eyes. He still had a touch of a hangup about how Cass seemed to appear the second Dean called, now he did it for Gwen too. He'd gotten better but of course there wasn't a war going on at the moment to distract him.

"Hello." The angel greeted, looking around. "Three Meadows, much has changed. I can feel the wards, they are very strong."

Gwen nodded proudly after giving Castiel a welcoming hug. It was strange how different Cass had been since they'd first run into Gwen back in Arizona. Then again, maybe the strange was actually how he'd been with them because of Naomi's mind games and this was the real angel. One who wasn't awkward about affection or being shown affection. It was sad in a way and he felt bad for any time he'd made a comment or observation about how stiff in nature the angel was. "Thanks. No point in having them if they don't work. I was showing the boys around the Rez, figured you should be here too. See how much you remember."

Castiel nodded. "I should remember it all, now that is."

"Now that you have a vessel, you can say hello to some people that you couldn't before." She grabbed his hand and led him and Sam over to Elizabeth's porch where Dean was laughing at something the woman had said. "Elizabeth, remember how you said it was too bad you never got to meet my _ogligle wakan tuwaya_ , my angel guide?" She added for what same guessed was for his and Dean's benefit. Something told him that Cass was fluent in Lakota. "This is Castiel."

The woman's eyes widened. "Oh _tanka tuwaya_." She breathed before shaking her head. "It is good to finally meet you and thank you for all you did to help give us our greatest Protector. My heart is still sad for the loss of our friends, our _ogligle wakan ohiti ke_ "

Castiel had moved to take the woman's offered withered hands and dropped to one knee so she wouldn't have to hold her arms up and gave her a soft smile while Gwen translated telling them that she'd referred to Cass as Great Guide and she was referring to the Angels 3 by calling them brave angels.

" _Pilaymaya, unci. we cha you oh nee huh pay iyuha naiciji ohiti ke oyate_."

Quietly, Gwen murmured the translation. "Thank you, grandmother. We honor all the brave defenders of the People."

Sam put his hand on Gwen's shoulder, knowing that Cass was referring also to her mother not to mention her grandmother who'd spent her life defending Three Meadows, even making an impact on Crowley of all demons in the process. She didn't react except to put her small hand over his and give it a squeeze.

"Gwen, you keep an eye on these boys, _ha_?"

Gwen smiled at the woman, taking one of her hands once Cass let them go and stood. "I'll do my best."

 **Castiel POV**

"So what'd you and Elizabeth talk about?" Gwen asked Dean as they made their way down the street. Castiel had explained to the brothers that most angels were fluent in all human languages though it was more difficult when an angel didn't spend actual time around humans. He'd felt good when Gwen brought up the fact that her first word had been in the language of angels and he wondered if that was how human parents felt about a child's first words in general.

"Well first of all, that woman should teach lessons on how to flirt. I have no game compared to her."

Gwen laughed as Sam muttered something about Dean having no game compared to a chair which led to the brothers briefly wrestling and insulting each other. What was this game? Did he have it? What did it have to do with flirtation?

"She's a cougar, that's for sure. She's outlived four husbands. Too much woman for them she brags." Gwen explained.

"I'd believe it! She said she'll make me a pie and to pay I need to tell her a great story. What's that about?"

"She likes stories, that's all. Though in a more positive way than how Metatron did from what you've told me. She likes hearing about other people's lives from them directly verses watching fake stories on TV. I usually spend time with her after a hunt to tell her what people I met and stuff."

They walked for a while, making small talk while various residents greeted them in a friendly way though there were a few that were hesitant of the three men walking with their Protector. It was only right that Gwen's people should be as guarded about her safety as she was for theirs.

"Hey Tommy! I was wondering when I'd see you!" Gwen suddenly greeted a teenager who'd been walking down the street in their general direction without waiting for him to greet them. "Come on, I want you to meet some people."

"And when do I care what you want?" The boy spat, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. He stood out simply because his hair was cropped short unlike pretty much everyone else who had it traditionally long. He seemed to be around 15 years old but seemed to act much older.

"Hey man, come on. Show some respect." Dean spoke up, taking a step forward.

"Who the hell are you, _washitu_? Respect you? Right."

Before Dean could speak, Gwen did. "Tommy, these are the Winchesters, Dean and Sam. They're hunters, white Protectors. They helped with the wendigo that was here before you were born." She looked to Castiel. "This is Castiel. He was my guardian when I was younger than you are now. Remember how I told you about him?"

Castiel was taken aback by how Gwen seemed to be desperately appealing to the boy, entreating him to try and get his interest or even to keep his attention. Had she somehow had a falling out with this boy?

"So. You're an angel?"

Castiel was taken aback by the tone in the boy's voice, the bitterness in it and almost disgust as he stepped forward and looked him in the eye. He thought Gwen's people had acted to save angels during the Fall. He was far from expecting the people to worship angels, they had been far from deserving. He did at least assume Gwen's people would all have a respect for angels like they would for fellow humans. Nearly all had or at least believed in the philosophy of just being polite. Not this boy though. He had barely shown respect to Gwen. "Yes, I am."

And before he knew it, a large gob of spit hit him square in the face and the boy turned on his heel and started walking away like it was nothing.

"Tommy!" Gwen shouted in shock. "What the hell!"

Castiel wiped his face with his sleeve, confused at the boy's action as were Sam and Dean from their expressions. Gwen had started to go after the boy but then stopped, her shoulders slumping. "Gwen, I don't understand."

She turned to him and sighed. "I'm sorry Castiel. I didn't think he would react that way. I've been trying to get through to him but I've been failing. Tommy...Tommy was Angela's son."

Oh. Now it made sense. Tommy felt anger because his mother had essentially died because she had been a vessel for Briathos. Therefore he had anger for all angels. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "No, I am. He's been having a hard time of it, more so than the others who found themselves orphans after Amara. He's just so angry and he completely blames me for all of it. I swear he's not the boy he was just a few months ago. He would have been waiting at my house for me to arrive home then. Now, I can't get anything but hate from him. I'll try talking to him later. Please don't take it personally. He's a teenager."

"I understand." Before he could say more, he felt a tug on his coat and looked down to see a beautiful little girl looking up at him with bright eyes and a smile. She must have wandered over from the park they were on the edge of that existed on the edge of the forest of the Rez. He almost imagined it was Gwen as a child. "Oh. Hello there."

"Pretty! So pretty!"

Dean snorted behind him only to be smacked upside the head by Sam.

"Thank you. You are pretty as well." Castiel replied to the little human, knowing it was considered polite to repay a compliment with another.

"Pretty wings! Birdy?"

That made Castiel look up to see looks of surprise on the faces of the Winchesters and a soft smile on Gwen's face. Looking closer at the child he could see exactly why she had reminded him of a younger Gwen and not just for her gender or braids. She had been born with Sight. "She can see my wings?"

"Meet Lily No Clouds. Her mother was the vessel for Ruth." She walked over and scooped up the child in her arms, making the child giggle with kisses before resting her on her hip. "We didn't know until recently that Lily was like me, that she had Sight. While normally it runs in families, it doesn't always. Her mom was a perfect angel vessel, so I guess it shouldn't have been a surprise. She's become a child of the tribe, one of my kids that I mentioned before."

Sam walked over with a smile on his face for the little girl who seemed rather impressed by his size. "Hi there sweetheart." He greeted her, his smile growing from the one on her face. "Why doesn't she have a guardian angel like you did?"

Castiel sighed. "There aren't enough of us anymore. There's little order in heaven, since Michael left. I don't know if the individuals with the ability to look upon angels are monitored or protected as they should be."

Lily looked back to him and raised her tiny hands to him. "Birdy! Up! Pretty up!"

He was confused. What did she want?

"She wants you to hold her Cass." Dean explained after the child repeated the word up a few more times. It seemed the child had an effect on most adults, he could see the beginnings of a smile on the more serious Winchester.

"Oh." He could do this. He'd held children before. "Yes, little one. I am not a birdy. I am an angel of the lord."

The girl went to him eagerly and he carefully rested her on his hip like he'd seen Gwen do, making sure he had a secure grip on her. "'gel?"

"Angel." He sounded out the word like he had seen done on television for children. "Angel."

"Pretty!" The girl exclaimed, reaching for his wings.

"Yes, Lily. He's very pretty." Gwen said softly, giving him a wink.

Castiel moved one wing so the chubby little hand could touch his feathers and she cooed in delight. "I am not pretty. Please don't teach her that. You used to say that when you were small as well."

Gwen grinned at him. "You are beautiful Castiel, nothing will ever change my mind on that." She looked to Sam and Dean who looked lost. "I wish you boys were able to really see him. There aren't words to describe how he really looks."

"We've seen him amp up, use his power and go all supernova. He atomized a door when Dean was beating the hell out of Metatron during the whole Mark of Cain thing." Sam said with a shrug.

"Jesus, Sam. Not my greatest moment. Not that that jerk didn't deserve it for what he pulled." Dean shook his head. "We're able to see a shadow of his wings when he amps up, like Sammy said. Like we see a shadow Briathos' wings when you use the angel stuff."

Gwen nodded absently, watching Lily who seemed content just to pet his wings. "This brings back memories."

He looked to her and felt that affection welling up within him. "Yes it does. Good ones. If you like, I can try to help you teach Lily about what she is able to perceive. I can inquire in Heaven about her gaining a guardian."

"Wait wait, Cass. Let's not invite more angels here when those Annihilist guys are around. We don't want the attention." Dean said with a raised hand. "Besides, I think you have a new friend there."

Castiel looked down at the toddler, still stroking his feathers. It made him wish for the days when his wings had been full and lush. "Are you my friend, Lily No Clouds?"

The girl beamed at him. "Pretty!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Gwen POV**

"Oh my god, what are you cooking? I smell another proposal coming on if that's anywhere as good as it looks!" Dean exclaimed, walking out onto the back patio where Gwen was working on dinner. It was strange how good it felt to have another people in the house again, to have life in the house. And somehow it just felt right to have Dean and Sam there. It was good to have Castiel too, though the last time he'd been at the Rez it had been without a vessel.

She couldn't remember the last time she got to show someone around the Rez. Maybe it had been with the Angels 3, she wasn't sure. She was proud of her home and was glad to see that not only the Winchesters seemed impressed with the Rez, but so did Castiel. It was hard work but worth it and more than that, it was the whole community together that accomplished it.

She'd decided on the steaks after she showed them the clinic, Castiel staying behind with his new friend Lily to see if he could help with the few patients and Sam going with her to the food stores while Dean decided to move Baby so it was actually in her driveway and not where he couldn't see it. She couldn't blame him, more than one resident of the Rez had stopped to admire the classic vehicle even while he was walking over to it, a bit of a prideful strut in his walk for it.

"Are you talking about the steak or my ass, Winchester?" She teased, shaking her hips a little. She liked flirting with the slightly older hunter. He was handsome and wasn't vulgar when he flirted back, something she liked too. Plus, his flirting was pretty honest and genuine, not just end game oriented or recycled crap. He tended to go for the funny, which she appreciated. Too many men made things too serious too soon or couldn't be anything but serious. She'd always thought funny was sexy, maybe Dean did too.

"Depends." He said slowly, making a show out of checking her out from her feet all the way up. She wasn't sure if he realized he was chewing on his bottom lip like a man trying to figure out where to start first. Or he did and wanted her to see it. "Will I get slapped if I say both?"

She rolled her eyes playfully. He was probably hoping for that. Though she rather liked the idea of turning to slap him and having him catch her wrist and push her up against the wall, holding her there with his own body and a smirk on his lips.

Damn, where did that come from?

"Like that'd deter you. I know from experience that you like getting beat up by a girl." She quipped, looking back to the steaks quickly and hoping he didn't suddenly become a mind reader.

He sighed dramatically, slumping his shoulders and letting his head drop. "Do I have ANY secrets from you?"

She laughed and turned each of the steaks over on the grill. They were almost ready and she was over thinking the situation. While Dean wasn't like most hunters, he was a man and men liked to flirt, not necessarily for any reason but to flirt. It was probably something he'd gotten very good at to get information from uncooperative witnesses and police during hunts. A reflex. "You, my dear pervert, are going to have buffalo steak. You'll love it. I promise."

"That's a pretty big promise. What, do you have some secret Lakota recipe or something? 11 Plains Indians herbs and spices?"

"Actually, no. No herbs or spices. Just fire." She gave him a slow smile and a promising wink. She could play the game just as well. "You are going to have it the way my people were cooking it hundreds of years ago." She waved to the picnic table where three boxes sat. "Your girlfriend came by with a gift by the way. She must have started them right after we left."

Dean looked confused. "Girlfriend?" He walked over and realized what was in the boxes before he even made it the whole way. "Forget that, I'm gonna marry that sweet old lady. I just asked for one pie! This is awesome!"

Gwen laughed, turning the steaks over. The key was cooking them just right on both sides. "She said that she couldn't expect strong warriors like you and Sam to manage with just a few slices each. There's an apple, blueberry and a raspberry one I think. She said not to forget you have a date to tell her a story tomorrow."

"Oh I'll remember. I'll friggin' bring flowers!" Dean held one box up and took a deep inhale. "Ok, the water balloons were totally worth this."

She shook her head. The man did love his pie. "Why don't you take them inside? Sam was getting stuff for salad at the produce market in the center of the Rez, he should be back soon."

The man carefully carried the three boxed pies inside like they were made of gold and came back out, taking a seat on the picnic table. "Where's Cass?"

"I think still at the clinic. I don't think Lily's left his side so maybe he's showing her just what he can do to help people. I don't think she remembers what Ruth did when Rose was her vessel or could understand that it wasn't actually her mom doing it."

Dean nodded, almost to himself. "Do you spend a lot of time at the clinic, now more that you have grace yourself?"

"Yeah, I try to. Before, Mom and I would help with diagnoses by reading auras and stuff. I try not to use healing spells or anything too often just because people need to not think everything is a quick fix. There may be a day when there's not a Protector here and they know that."

"What are you talking about?"

She shrugged, flipping the steaks again. "I'm not immortal Dean. Lily has the Sight but she also will have the same choice I had to be a Protector or not. She's still a baby, it'll be years before she's ready if she decides she wants it or is strong enough to protect the Rez. I'm not getting any younger and well, I didn't exactly end up having a kid myself."

"You act like you're so old. You could still have a kid if you wanted. That shifter bitch didn't...you know, mess you up inside, did she?"

Gwen shook her head, remembering when she realized that she'd just miscarried without even knowing she'd been pregnant to begin with. Remembering the tears in her mother's eyes at the loss of a potential grandchild. They hadn't known then that it was the closest her mother would get. "No, even if she had, Briathos or Ruth could have healed me."

"Then what is it?"

She shrugged again, using the tongs to begin putting the steaks onto the platter she had next to her. "I don't know. Why haven't you settled down, become a father?"

"Well besides the fact that the only biological kid I know I had ended up a homicidal Amazon that Sam had to take out, I did try the whole settling down thing. I told you about Lisa and Ben."

She nodded, remembering the hunter telling her about the normal life he tried to have after Sam sacrificed himself to stop the Apocalypse. She had a hard time imagining the man trying to fit himself into an already established household that was the complete opposite of everything he knew. "Yeah. And Ben wasn't yours? Didn't you think he was at one point?"

Dean nodded, resting his elbows on his knees and weaving his fingers together. "The timing would have been right and I'll be honest, I might have accidentally tripped and sent in a DNA sample from both of us to one of those mail away things." He sighed. "Not mine."

"What's that saying Bobby always had?"

"Family don't end in blood." Dean answered immediately. "Idgit."

Gwen smiled, missing the old gruff hunter. She was glad that perhaps he'd found a way to steer his boys toward her or vice versa. If anyone would be able to manage such a task, it would be Bobby Singer. "You know how much he loved you, right? Always referred to you as his boys. Always so proud of you, even when you drove him crazy."

Dean nodded, looking up with a wistful smile. "Yeah. We were pretty good at that. We're lucky we had him."

"Funny, he used to say he was lucky he had you two."

"Us two what?"

They both turned to see Sam walking out on the patio with a few cloth bags from the Rez Produce Market.

"We were talking about Bobby, Sam. That he was lucky he had you two." Gwen said bringing the platter over to the table before helping the younger hunter empty the bags. "Good haul and good timing. I just finished the steaks."

"Thanks. It'd be difficult to find this much organic produce in regular markets or even at Farmer's Markets."

"Well when the whole thing with the Leviathans went down, we went completely homegrown for safety and it kind of stuck. It's good land we're on, luckily. Not many reservations ended up on good land. Of course, we might have tripped and accidentally used some old earth magic to revive the soil a few generations ago when we got here." She gave Dean a smile, using his phrase. "Oops."

"Dean, come on. Help me wash these so we can eat. I'm starving." Sam grabbed the two heads of lettuce and a couple tomatoes.

"So we're having rabbit food before we eat buffalo? How the hell does that work?" Dean mumbled under his breath, grabbing the cucumbers and other items and moving to follow his brother.

 **Dean POV**

"Castiel!" Gwen called out as she set down the last plate, Dean again following Sam out though now with a big bowl of rabbit food. It was just as well. The more rabbit food Sam ate, the more buffalo for him. Something told him he was really going to enjoy these steaks. He liked that Gwen wanted to share something so integral to her heritage with them. It put him at a loss as to what they could share back. They had less culture and hertitage and more issues and baggage than anything. Something told him that wasn't exactly a fair trade.

Dean turned his head to see the angel appear as usual but this time, he had little Lily No Clouds in his arms. "Jesus, Cass! You don't go zapping around with a friggin' baby! She's too young!" He stood up and walked over to where the kid was giggling from her spot, resting on Cass' hip with his arm around her securely. Had she actually enjoyed being zapped? Was it a side effect of having Sight? If so, where did he sign up? "You okay, sweetheart?" He didn't even know how he'd be able to tell if something wasn't.

"She's fine, Dean. I wouldn't zap, as you say, if I thought it would hurt her." The angel said, sounding a bit put off. "The steaks look good, Gwen."

"Thanks Castiel. We set you a plate. If you make the pieces small enough, Lily should be able to eat them. Unci must be having a fit in the afterlife. She always wanted to cook for you."

"Gwen, you aren't worried about Lily being zapped?" Dean interrupted. Why was he the only one concerned? She wasn't even his kid!

She shook her head. "Castiel zapped me around a few times when I was her size. It's alright Dean."

"'ean?" The toddler said, looking back and forth between the adults with curious eyes. "'ean?"

"Dean, sweetheart." He said softly. The kid was adorable and it was obvious to him that she had Cass wrapped around her little finger. He put his hand to his chest. "Dean." And then he booped her nose. "Lily."

"'ean!" The toddler half shouted before almost throwing herself toward him.

He laughed at the surprise on Cass' face as he moved in and took her from the angel and settled her on his own hip. "Alright, I'll take 'ean for now. Silly girl." He tickled her side and she giggled in that heart warming way all small children seemed to have.

Christ, he was getting old and sappy.

"Hey Lily flower." Sam greeted, coming back out onto the deck with a big bowl of salad. "Hey Cass."

It was funny how Lily looked up at Dean before looking back to Sam and then to him. "Sam, sweetheart. Sam."

"Sam!" The toddler declared quickly.

"Oh sure, his name you get right away." He groused, noticing the surprised smile on his brother's face at the declaration of the toddler.

Gwen laughed. "Good girl, Lily, get these boys wrapped around your little finger. You look good with a baby, Winchester."

Dean snorted. "Don't even start." He headed over to the table with Lily easily tucked to his side. "Here Sam, you need some baby sitting experience."

Sam rolled his eyes as he easily took Lily who seemed to have no issue being passed around. "I babysit you all the time, I think that counts as experience."

Dean waited till the toddler was looking the other way before he flipped his brother off.


	18. Chapter 18

**Dean POV**

Dean stepped out of the bathroom, towel firmly tied around his waist and nearly stumbled right into Gwen who happened to be walking by heading for the stairs. She obviously hadn't expected anyone else to be up or just wasn't used to having other people in the house like this. Before he could say anything or excuse himself, her eyes got big and she made no attempt to hide her obvious perusal of his near naked body. He fought back the smirk he felt because it was clear she very much liked what she saw.

She said something under her breath in Lakota and then her eyes finally moved to his. "Damn Winchester. Now I see why you wear so many damn layers. That IS a distraction. Ya hey!"

He gave her a slow smile. It was always nice to get a compliment. Especially when you near naked and from a beautiful woman. "You should see me without the towel."

"Well that's just something that I'll have to let torture me for a while, won't I?" She gave him a promising smile of her own before heading back on her way to the stairs like she hadn't just bumped into him near naked.

"That's not healthy, Gwen! Don't you want to stay mentally healthy?" He called out as she made her way down the stairs, not without a noticeable sway to her hips.

Her laughter filled the house. Fuckin' tease. Had to love it, she was as good as he was at dishing it out.

He shook his head and headed back to the guest room that was his while he and Sammy were staying at the Rez and proceeded to get dressed for the day. It was a bit late to be getting a start on the day but they'd been up rather late talking and bullshitting around the small bonfire Gwen had built after dinner in her backyard.

Heading downstairs, he found Gwen seated behind a laptop at the kitchen table, a cup of tea to one side. "How long have you been up anyway?"

"Not very long. Lily woke up pretty early and I brought her over to one of the families she spends time with so she wouldn't wake Sam up." The toddler had all but latched onto his brother the night before and had even fallen asleep in his arms and then he'd fallen asleep in turn in the lounge chair he'd been relaxing on during the bonfire. Rather than wake either up, Gwen had simply brought out a blanket and covered them both.

Dean had taken pictures with his phone and fully planned to use them as blackmail at some future point.

"He's still asleep out there?"

"No, he must have woken up not long after I took Lily and made his way up to his room. I like how comfortable she is with you boys."

"I do have a way with the ladies, no matter their age." He joked. "Speaking of, I gotta go."

"Go?"

"Yeah. I got a date with my girlfriend, remember? Figured I'd take Elizabeth out for lunch or something. Maybe tell her a story or two."

A smile took Gwen's lips. "That's really sweet Dean. I bet she'll really like that. You won't even need to leave the Rez. I recommend Tim Growing Tree's place. He makes a mean chili."

He nodded, double checking that he had his wallet. "Wait, stupid question. If the Rez is pretty much self contained, do you still use regular money and stuff?"

"Yeah we do but not all the time. Nearly everyone on the Rez helps with keeping the Rez going, so we take care of each other. It's almost like a commune. Don't tell the Republicans."

He laughed. "Okay, I'll try not to. I'll see ya later."

* * *

"I can't remember the last time I was taken out to lunch by a handsome young man." Elizabeth confessed as they made their way down the avenue to the place Gwen had recommended. The older woman had been very surprised and pleased at his playful request for a lunch date and had insisted on walking. He wasn't very enthusiastic about making someone in their mid-80s walk anywhere further than maybe the bathroom, but she'd insisted.

"Well that's both a shame and lucky for me then, isn't it?" He said with a smile, patting her hand that was in the crook of his arm. He wished he had a video of this. He could be a gentleman, no matter what most any woman he ever met said.

"Did you enjoy the pie? I wasn't sure what kind you boys would enjoy."

"Oh they were fantastic. We managed not to eat all three, but just barely. Thank you so much."

The old woman nodded, pleased. "My children and my grandchildren are all grown now so mostly I cook for whoever asks. I'll have to make more pies for you and your brother."

"Does your family still live on the Rez?"

"Oh the Rez is my family. You'll learn that soon enough. But my children left years ago. They come and visit from time to time. My daughter is a teacher in Virginia. My son, he's a banker in Santa Monica. A big deal he claims."

Dean nodded. "Sounds like if he has tell people what a big deal he is, he really isn't."

Elizabeth laughed, sounding much younger than she was. "My thoughts exactly. But I don't tell him that. Tell me about your family, Dean."

"Oh there's not much to tell. It's just Sammy and me."

"Just you and your brother? What about your parents?"

"They are both gone. Our mom, she died in a fire. Dad, well he had a heart attack a few years ago." It was an easier way to explain their deaths rather than their parents had both effetively been killed by the same demon trying to protect their sons.

Elizabeth stopped and he was worried she was getting tired. "No, that's not right. Dean, you should realize that I grew up with Betty, Gwen's grandmother and I was godmother to her mother. I understand that you are a hunter. There's no need to censor yourself with me. Tell me the truth."

He sighed. He was so used to making things up because so many people didn't know about demons and everything else that hid in the dark that it came almost natural. "Sorry. It's just instinct."

"I understand. You can always tell me the truth. You should always be able to confess to grandparents. They've been through it all twice before, they understand."

"Yeah, I never really knew my grandparents. I mean, I met my grandfathers but that's complicated. They weren't...you know, they...weren't.."

"Old as dirt like me?"

"No! No, that's not what I was thinking!"

She smiled. "You didn't grow up with them as your grandfathers I'm guessing then. You met them another way?"

"Yeah. Friggin' time travel and resurrections and crap." He shook his head at how ridiculous it sounded outloud. "The truth is very complicated when you're a Winchester."

"It's complicated for any akicita, any veteran or warrior. Surely you've realized that with others you've met, including our Protector?"

He nodded, seeing the restaurant not far away. "Yeah. I guess it's all perspective."

"That's right. Now let's get a good table and then you can tell me as much as your heart desires and then maybe a bit more than you realize."

 **Sam POV**

Sam looked up from Gwen's mother's Protector's Guide that she was kind enough to let him read to see that Dean was back from his lunch "date". He was actually kind of impressed with his brother, not that he'd ever tell him, for going out of his way like that and spending time with a woman just to spend time with her. The fact that Elizabeth Sings in Grass was in her 80s was a big help too.

"Hey Sammy." He greeted, flopping down on one of the couches. "How's things?"

"Good. Just looking at one of Gwen's mom's Protector Guides. Dad might have been a jerk to her, but they both were very much about details. A whole life's worth. How was your lunch date?"

Dean smiled, still slumped like a teenager on the couch. "It was good. Surprisingly kinda awesome. She's pretty cool for an old lady, to be honest. She grew up with Gwen's grandma, so she knows about all the stuff we deal with."

"So what story did you tell her? Wasn't that the deal? A pie for a story?"

Dean shrugged. "We kinda just talked. She asked about Mom and Dad, we talked about her family. I feel bad for her, her son just moved away to be a friggin' banker of all things. They come and visit and stuff but she's pretty much alone. I told her we'll be her honorary grandsons. She's around the same age that Henry would've been if Abaddon hadn't shown up. I think."

Sam did the math in his head. "Roughly, yeah. What'd she say to that?"

"That she's going to need a bigger oven to make more pie." He grinned. "She's sweet. You should go over, she was asking about you. I showed her the pictures I took of you and little Lily last night. Poppa Sammy."

Sam rolled his eyes, Gwen having shown him pictures she'd taken herself. It'd been nice, little Lily trusting him so much that she felt safe to fall asleep in his arms like that. To tell the truth, it felt good to feel that kind of implicit trust from a child, especially one who was born able to see auras. However his aura looked deep down, it wasn't something that scared her. "Shut up."

"Nah, it was cute. Poor kid's had a rough time of it. Maybe this True Sight stuff lets her see people who understand that or something."

"Maybe. Or I was just comfortable." Sam quipped. Dean was right though. Lily's father had taken off when he found out about her mother being pregnant for parts unknown and then her mother had been the vessel for Ruth only to be killed by Amara. Would Lily even remember her mother or would she remember Ruth?

"Where's Cass?"

"He and Gwen went to go check on the wards around the Rez. He was concerned about how strong they were with these Annihilist assholes around. Personally I think he just wants to protect Gwen and Lily. She's got his wing wrapped around her finger too."

Dean nodded. "Can't blame the guy. Gwen's like his kid or something and Lily probably reminds him of what she was like when she was little." He sighed, closing his eyes. "I like it here. Don't get me wrong, the Bunker isn't bad but it's so isolated. I see what Gwen was talking about when she said it was claustrophobic."

"Yeah. It's nice to be in an actual home." Sam said, feeling rather comfortable in the recliner he'd camped out on. "Why don't you grab one of the Protector Guides there on the coffee table? The ones on the left are Gwen's grandmother's and the right her mom's."

"What about Gwen's?"

"She said she wanted us to read theirs first."

Dean shrugged and grabbed one of the Guides of Gwen's grandmother since he'd just spent time with her childhood friend. "Fair enough."

Sam wondered silently as he looked down the leather bound book in his own lap if it was more of a case of Gwen not being entirely ready to share her entire life as a Protector with them yet. He and Dean both had their own Hunter's Journals, maybe if they shared first?

Or maybe it was just a matter of time. He absently watched as Dean toed off his sneakers and got comfortable before getting back into the Guide before him, the entry being about a pack of werewolves being rumored in the area. From the date it was around the time he was born. Was the werewolf that killed Gwen's dad part of this pack?

Maybe this was why she wasn't ready yet. There were too many aspects of his own life as a hunter he wouldn't want to brag about, maybe Gwen wasn't ready either.


	19. Chapter 19

**Gwen POV**

Gwen laughed, enjoying watching the two Winchesters bicker over nothing while deciding what movie to watch while she and Castiel worked on a puzzle. It was so domestic and comfortable. It was weird and perfect at the same time. Was this what she had been missing for so long? Her unci had always said that the life of a Protector was never ordinary. Maybe this was her normal?

Castiel had been focused on separating the pieces and doing the puzzle in the most logical way when he stopped and raised his head, his brow furrowing. He tilted his head like he was trying to hear something better but was surprised at what he was hearing.

Gwen wasn't the only one who noticed and the boys both came over with concern. "Cass?" Dean asked, "What is it? Something on angel radio?"

Castiel shook his head. "No. It's...it's a prayer. A type of prayer at least."

"To you directly? From who? Who else besides the three of us would pray to you?"

The angel closed his eyes and a little smile took his face which was confusing to the three. "I'll be right back."

And like that, the angel was gone.

"Sometimes I really hate when he does that." Dean grumbled, throwing his hands up into the air before taking Castiel's seat at the table.

"Well it can't be something bad if he was smiling like that. I mean, right?" Sam questioned, unsure.

Before Gwen could say anything in response, Castiel returned and he wasn't alone. In his arms, dressed in her favorite Paw Patrol pajamas was little Lily No Clouds, her little face still tear stained and red from crying. The angel held her close, gently soothing her in Enochian like he had so many years ago when she was a child.

"Cass, did you just kidnap her? Come on man!" Dean said in frustration. "You can't go around just taking kids like that!"

"I didn't just take her Dean." Castiel informed the hunter with a roll of his eyes, which was so funny considering his very stiff demeanor. "Carol Wolves was right there trying to comfort her. It was her idea for me to bring her here."

"Sam!" The toddler cried out, her little arms extended toward the younger Winchester. Her little face screwed up on the verge of a bawl. "Sam!"

Surprised, Sam stepped over, quick to take Lily in his arms before she tried to do her infamous attempts at flying. "Hey Lily flower. It's okay sweetheart!" He spoke softly, hugging the child to him, his large hand taking up nearly the entire back of her little head as she sobbed into his chest. "Shh. It's okay. It's okay." He moved back and forth in a comforting motion. "Cass, what happened? Did she have a bad dream?"

The angel shook his head, a soft look in his eyes. "No Sam. From what Carol said, she was upset because she wanted you."

"Me?" Sam seemed surprised and more than a little shocked. "Why me?"

"You make her feel safe, Sam. Look, she's already calming down." Gwen said with a smile, surprised herself at the hunter not realizing just how much little Lily had latched onto him in the last couple weeks since the Winchesters had arrived at Three Meadows. Nevermind falling asleep in his arms but the fact that she always wanted to be around him was a big sign of how the hunter made her feel. It brought back memories of feeling that way about Castiel when she was a child and how that hadn't changed despite their time apart.

"I doubt it's me." Sam said in a self effacing way, still rocking with Lily and holding her close. "I'm just big to her, she likes that."

"Nah. I'm only a little shorter than you and she's not as attached to me." Dean theorized, giving the little girl a smile and gently touching his knuckle to her cheek. "You like being around Sam, huh there sweetheart? You like Sam?"

Lily nodded quietly, giving Dean a shy smile which he rewarded with a kiss to her head.

"See? I bet it has something to do with how she can see you. Right Gwen? Can she already see his aura or whatever?"

Gwen shrugged. "I'm not sure if she can see his aura, the Sight isn't the same for everyone except allowing us to see angels without losing our eyes." She looked to Castiel who put his hand on her shoulder. "Even if she could see auras, she wouldn't really understand what they meant other than what her most basic instincts told her. She doesn't need Sight to instictively know Sam makes her feel safe."

"I'll set up the little cot for her in your room, Sammy." Dean said with an amused smile before heading for the stairs. The cot was actually a toddler bed that was easily folded away, something Gwen had on hand for whenever one of the smaller of the Rez kids slept over. "Don't you put in a chick flick while I'm gone!"

 **Sam POV**

Sam woke up to find that Lily had woken up first and had climbed onto his bed from her toddler's bed and was amusing herself by playing with his hair. He'd never admit this to Dean or to anyone really but it was moments just like this one that made him miss Jess and miss that small amount of time he had outside of the hunter life. Is this what it was like to be a father?

"Hi Lily flower."

"Hi!" The little girl said with a smile, still playing with his hair. "Sam pretty."

He chuckled and pulled her into his arms, making her giggle. "No! Lily pretty!" He tickled her sides and amused himself with her pealing giggles. "Are you hungry?"

The little girl nodded. "Yup."

"Okay sweetheart. Let's go downstairs and see what we can get for breakfast."

Sam made his way downstairs with Lily in his arms to find the house quiet except for Gwen at the kitchen sink, finishing up dishes from the night before. She was humming to herself and seemed rather content, a smile taking her lips as she snuck a look through the gauzy curtains that covered the window above the sink.

"Morning Gwen. What are you all smiles about?"

She turned and flashed him a smile that he knew drove Dean crazy. How many times in the last few weeks had he heard his brother say that one of these days he was going to kiss the hell out of Gwen just for that smile alone? Of course he'd challenge his brother by questioning why he just didn't already. Strangely, Dean would reply that he was waiting for his moment. What moment that was, Sam didn't know but he kind of liked that Dean was giving himself a chance to actually get to know a woman beyond a one night stand.

"Hey there Sam. Hi Lily." She nodded back to the window. "Your brother out there. Some of the kids came by, asked him for a ride in the Impala because it was and I quote, the coolest car on the Rez. Now he's showing them basic car stuff under the hood."

"He lives to show off that car." Sam said with a shake of his head, peering through the curtain to see Dean with four kids, all of them looking at what he was explaining under the hood, one little boy standing on a small crate next to Dean so he could see. It brought back more than one memory of Bobby teaching them the same. As impatient as Dean could be, it was amazing how much of a teacher he could be when he wanted. "Lily, you want some Cheerios?"

"Uh huh."

Sam busied himself with getting the little girl a bowl of cereal and setting her down at the kitchen table in her booster seat, a rubber mat underneath the mess she'd probably end up making. He was about to get himself something to eat when he heard Gwen curse under her breath. He turned to see her almost leaning out the window, the smile gone from her face.

He stepped over and looked himself, seeing a tall man, his black hair tied back in a braid making his way up the driveway and not looking happy at all. He didn't say hello or anything, just told the kids it was time for them to head home, to get going. Two of the kids protested. "Dad! Mr. Dean was just showing us.."

"Caleb, I said now. Take your sister and go right home. Do not test me."

The boy, who'd been standing on the box next to Dean hopped down, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. It brought back some not too fond memories of hearing that same tone from his own dad and Dean telling him yes sir but with so much hurt in his eyes. "Yes Dad. Anna, come on. Let's go."

While the retreating children looked disappointed making their way down the driveway, Dean looked confused and guarded as he stepped back from the Impala, wiping his hands on an old rag. He took a few seconds to read the man's body language and attempted to start things off cordially. "Hey, Dean Winchester. The kids asked for a ride and then I was just showing them a few things. Hope you don't mind." He held out his hand in greeting.

The man looked at it and then crossed his arms over his chest instead of shaking it. "I know who you are."

"Who the hell is that, Gwen?" Sam asked quietly, the open window allowing them to hear the conversation. The weather had been mild the last few days but it was going to be a hot one today. The breeze that came from the open window had probably felt nice to Gwen while she did dishes. Now it was allowing her to hear a conversation she probably didn't want to hear from the way she was acting.

Her shoulders slumped and she sighed. "Jacob Runs the Horse. My ex."

Sam furrowed his brow. The name didn't sound familiar from any of the stories from the last few weeks she or others had told them about life on the Rez Her ex? Wait, THE ex? "Wait, the one who?"

She closed her eyes. "Yeah."

"Alright, you know me, I don't know you." Dean was trying his best to be polite, which was a lot for Dean but Sam could hear in his tone that he was getting a sense he wasn't going to like this guy. Sam already didn't for what he'd done to Gwen so many years ago. How the hell did you dump a woman for having a miscarriage when she didn't even know she was pregnant?

"I'm Jacob Runs the Horse. I belong here at Three Meadows which is more than I can say for you or your brother. We don't need white hunters here so it's obvious why you stay. She's never going to choose you, you should know that by now."

"Son of a bitch." Gwen hissed and moved to head for the door, no doubt to rip Jacob a new one.

Sam moved quick to stop her. After the last few weeks of living on the Rez, he was more than curious to see how Dean would react to this guy. He was relatively sure he'd be able to get out there and stop his brother from really hurting the guy if he had to.

Of wanting to stop his brother from hurting this particular guy? Not so much.

"Give him a chance to speak for himself, Gwen." He murmured, gently pulling her back to the window while mentally hoping Dean wouldn't just pop this guy in the face, no matter how much he deserved it.

"Excuse me? I don't think I like what you're implying." Dean said out on the driveway, both eyebrows raised in surprise, no doubt at the way Gwen was being brought into the conversation. "I think Gwen is more than capable of making her own decisions. What is it you think she'd be choosing over me?"

Jacob scoffed. "You know perfectly well, you're a hunter. Probably left a trail of women in your wake rather than settle down like a real man and raise a family. It's all about hunting for you. For her. It's blood and fighting and violence. That's what she'll choose. That's what she's always chosen."

It was taking every restraint he had in him to not go out the door like Gwen had wanted to moments before and just knock this guy on his ass. Who the hell was he to judge what Gwen did or didn't do? He was the one who dumped her. It was like he thought of her like a wild animal or something. He looked to Gwen who was gripping the counter in front of the sink so hard her skin was paling, her arms stiff with her head down. Had she been told this before? Was she thinking about what had happened to her as Protector, the Arena and Purgatory?

"He's full of shit, Gwen." He murmured, putting his hand on her shoulder that felt like high tension wires.

"Is he?" She murmured without looking up.

"Who the hell do you...oh." Dean began to rant and then stopped himself. "I know who you are now. You're the douchebag who dumped Gwen after she was kicked by that shifter. Funny how you think you can judge her when you are clearly the asshole in this story."

"She got our child KILLED." Jacob hissed, almost bearing his teeth. "If she hadn't been so adamant on being a damned Protector, that child would be turning 11 years old now! But no, she chose to put herself in danger and I'll never forgive her for that."

Sam tightened his hand on Gwen's shoulder, to comfort her and to keep himself from doing what it looked like Dean was debating on doing himself.

"Forgive her? You dick, she didn't know she was pregnant! She chooses to protect this reservation, to protect selfish blind cowards like you! Do you think it's easy for a woman to lose a child? Do you think she would have gone into that fight if she'd known? God, get your head out of your ass! First, it's been 10 years and you look to have moved on and had kids. Second, she should never have to choose between being a Protector and having a family or love. Third, if it wasn't for Gwen or her mom, or brave those that were the angel vessels, you'd be fucking dead right now. She'd die for this Rez and as much as you don't deserve it, that includes you."

The man opened his mouth to say something and Dean moved quickly, pinning him to the Impala, his shirt twisted in Dean's fist. He had a look of confusion and shock, but even better, fear. Jacob Runs the Horse was all talk and Dean was proving that.

"I'm going to tell you this once and only once. Listen to me. Gwen Dancing Bird is one of the bravest women on this fucking planet and if you can't see that, then I feel sorry for you. But you go around trying to make her sound like some kind of blood thirsty animal, you try making it seem like either me or my brother are here for only one thing and I swear to god, I will make sure they never find your body. You keep your fucking coward mouth shut and understand that the only reason, the ONLY reason I don't knock you into next week is because I respect that woman more than I feel anything but disgust for you."

With that, Dean hauled the man forward before throwing him bodily backwards, the shaken man barely able to keep from tumbling down. "Get out of here before I change my mind."

Standing there with Gwen, watching as Jacob Runs the Horse retreated down the driveway, Sam could safely say this was one of his personal top ten moments of pride for his brother. Dean wasn't perfect but there were times that Sam was overwhelmed with brotherly love and just utter pride. He'd stood up to angels and demons, gods and devils but right then, standing up to a mere snake of a man, he'd really shined.

He looked down to Gwen who looked like she was in shock, her eyes shining with emotion. "Say the word and he's toast."

She let out a shaky chuckle, sniffling as she let go of the sink to cover his hand with her own small one. " _Pilamaya_ , Sam. Really. He's not worth it."

"But you are. Remember that." He tugged her back a little, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He had a feeling that Dean had some major romantic feelings he wasn't addressing toward their resident Protector but she felt like a sister to him, as much as he could guess that felt like from the brief time they'd had Charlie in their lives. "Come on, let's go out there and make sure Dean doesn't change his mind and run that dick down with the Impala."

She snorted, absently wiping at her face with the back of a hand. "Too many potential witnesses for that anyway."

Sam chuckled, making sure that Lily was alright, the toddler clueless as to the drama that had been going on, occupying herself with playing with her Cheerios. Thankfully, the door leading out to the driveway would allow him to keep her in sight. He opened the door, Dean immediately turning from where he'd been standing, feet planted as he had watched Jacob leave. Sam gave him a nod, a silent Winchester family way of saying good job.

Before he could say or do anything else, Gwen stepped out under his arm and marched over to Dean and without saying a word herself, all but launched herself into Dean's arms. A hunter's instincts came in handy and he quickly wrapped his arms around the young Lakota woman, his eyes a bit wide with surprise but an amused smile on his lips.

"Good morning to you too, Gwen." He said, one of his hands resting on the back of her head.

"Thank you Dean. Thank you. I don't care what that fucker says, you boys belong here more than anyone. I'm really glad you boys are here."

The corner of Dean's mouth lifted in a smile and from his vantage point, Sam could see that Dean, like him, was just as glad as she was that they were there. "Thanks Gwen. I can't believe that douche had the nerve to talk like that. I meant what I said too. He has no idea what he's talking about."

She stepped back, though her arms were still wrapped around Dean's neck. "That's something that's been true since the day he was born. I have no idea what I was even thinking 10 years ago. Yuck."

"We'll chalk it up to some ancient curse or something. How's that?"

She laughed, stepping up on her toes to press a lingering kiss to Dean's cheek. Sam smiled to himself, wishing he had his phone on him to get a picture of his tough as nails brother, closing his eyes in happiness from the simple affection. But it wasn't just the affection, it was who it was coming from. "Sounds good to me. Come on inside, Sam and Lily are up and we can have a late breakfast and then I can show you boys the best kept secret on the Rez. You've earned it today."

"Oh?"

She nodded, grabbing his hand and leading him back toward the house. "Yep. You'll love it, I swear."

"If you say so!" Dean said, flashing his brother a grin, wiggling his eyebrows as he followed her into the house. Sam waited a second and laughed as he heard a now quite happy Dean greet Lily. "Oh I see a sweet little treat right here! Right Miss Lily?" He could hear Lily's happy giggles as Dean nonchalantly tickled her and pretended like he was going to chew on her arm.

There was no doubt in Sam's mind, they really did belong here.


	20. Chapter 20

**Dean POV**

Dean looked up from the Protector's Guide he'd been paging through as Sam came back down the stairs from where he'd been putting Lily No Clouds to bed. The little girl was officially living in Gwen's house and there were plans to turn the unused guest room next to the guest room that Sam had into Lily's. "She finally fell asleep?"

"Yeah. Had to read her Goodnight Moon about 3 times but she's sleeping now."

He had to laugh. "Look at us being all domestic." He turned and looked at Gwen who was showing Cass something on her laptop, the angel actually taking the trenchcoat off for once. "Gwen I'm on to your evil plan to try and tame us!"

"Took you long enough." She quipped back, throwing him a wink before pointing out something on the screen to Castiel. They'd been working together to try and locate more angels who had decided not to return to heaven once it had been possible to do so. Despite the angels that had been forced to return, more than a few had managed to stay hidden and were living as humans.

"Tame you, maybe. I've always been the more civilized one." Sam said, flopping down on the couch.

"Says the guy who was throwing kids into the lake the other day." The big secret that Gwen had shown them a week earlier after his improptu meeting with her ex was the hidden lake that sustained the reservation. According to legend, it had been a gift to the Lakota from a deity known as White Buffalo Woman for their strength and perseverance. The small sized lake actually had a hot springs within it and the water had some minimal healing properties, another part of the legend that had led to it's name, Healing Waters.

"It doesn't count if they asked me to!" Sam defended with a roll of his eyes. His little brother was easily the tallest person at Three Meadows and while there was a rope swing for jumping into the lake, the kids had wanted Sam to throw them. Mostly after they'd seen him toss a laughing Gwen in first.

He looked back over to the kitchen table and wondered just when it had happened in the last few weeks that this had become home for them. Sure, they had the Bunker and everything but this was a community. He usually would have gotten itchy by this point and taken just the smallest lead to go on a hunt just about anywhere. Instead, they'd made use of Bobby's old network of hunters and their own connections and farmed out the few cases that seemed worth investigating. Neither of them were particularly looking to hit the road.

Dean couldn't figure out if that was a good thing or not. More so, was it because of Three Meadows or was it really because of the beautiful woman who was giggling at something Cass had said in Enochian? Cass grinned at her giggles and Dean searched his memory, trying to remember ever seeing Cass as happy as he had been in the last few weeks. All he knew was that Naomi was very lucky to be dead because now that Dean knew just how much she'd fucked with Cass, he'd gank her in a second just for the principle of it.

 **Gwen POV**

"Gwen! Gwen!"

Gwen looked up from her laptop as her front door burst open, making the two men in the living room jump to their feet as well as the angel beside her. In dashed Sarah Walks the River and her long time boyfriend, Will. The looks on their faces said this wasn't a fun social call. "Hey, hey what's going on?" She looked to Castiel and he shook his head. The wards hadn't fallen, they weren't under attack.

"Oh Gwen. I don't know how it happened and she's gone and we don't even know.." Sarah babbled, her face full of distress and her aura all but screaming with white bursts of fear.

Gwen got up and put her hands on the woman's shoulders firmly and looked her in the eye. "Hey, calm down. I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. Who is gone, is it Alicia?" Alicia was her 15 year old daughter with Will. "Did Alicia take off?" As Protector, she often acted as a form of tribal police. Not everything about being Protector had to do with the supernatural. And more often than not, teenage hormones were at the root of the problem.

Sarah nodded but instead of explaining just started sobbing and Gwen moved to wrap her arms around her. She looked to Sam and mouthed the word tea. He nodded and headed to the kitchen. Dean and Castiel moved closer as Gwen and Will tried to calm Sarah down.

"Who is Alicia?" Castiel asked, allowing her to continue to concentrate on trying to calm the distraught mother.

"Our daughter. She's 15 and she's normally a good girl but she's been spending a lot of time on her computer lately. And I went to say good night to her and she wasn't in her room. We looked all over the Rez, called her friends and everything. John No Shoes said he thought he saw her with a couple of the older kids heading out of the Rez." He looked to Gwen. "She's only 15, where is she going?"

"You said she's been on her computer a lot? Could she be talking to someone on there and went to meet them? A boy maybe?" Dean asked, his eyes concerned. The world had changed a lot in the last few decades and while the internet was a great tool, it was also a major source of potential trouble when it came to teenagers.

Sarah sniffled and wiped at her face. "She hasn't mentioned a boy."

"She might have thought you wouldn't approve. Did she leave her laptop behind? I'm decent with computers, maybe I can get in and see who she's been talking to. Might tell us where she was going." Sam volunteered as Gwen gently eased Sarah into a chair before he pressed a cup of hot tea into her hands. He squatted down by her side and Gwen could see that when it came to talking to survivors and the traumatized, Sam was the Winchester to turn to. No wonder little Lily had latched on to him so firmly. "We can help."

Sarah looked from Sam to Gwen who gave her a nod. The Rez had gotten to know the Winchesters pretty well in the last few weeks and just about everyone seemed to like them. Tommy had been a recluse which still bothered her and the only other exception was Jacob Runs the Horse, but he was a douche, so that was expected. More than anything, the people knew that Gwen trusted the boys and that was more than enough for them.

"I can take you back to our house, for the laptop." Will spoke up. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Sarah nodded, her eyes red and worried. "I can't lose my baby, Gwen. What if some monster has her?"

"Then we will kill that son of a bitch and bring her home to you." Dean said, squatting down next to her chair, taking the spot Sam vacated as he moved to go with Will. "I know you don't know us but this is what we do. Let's not think worst case scenarios, okay? She's probably just meeting a boy, typical teen stuff. She can't be possessed and she knows how to defend herself like everyone else on the Rez. Right Gwen?"

"That's right. Alicia is a smart girl. Let's focus on figuring out where she is and getting her home."

"Okay." Sarah sniffled, wiping at her eye. "Thank you."

"Before you go, do you have a picture of her that I may see?" Castiel asked Will, no doubt in an effort to try and help keep Sarah calm. "I could check the local bars and other meeting places, see if that's where they meant to meet."

"Yeah. Yeah." Will pulled out his wallet and fumbled a picture of Alicia out of it. "That's her."

Castiel took the picture and gave it a long hard look before handing it back. "I'll be right back." And like that he popped away.

* * *

Gwen wandered over to where Sam and Dean were hunched over Alicia's bright pink laptop with the One Direction sticker on the back, their faces serious. "I don't like the look on your faces boys." She murmured, not wanting the two worried parents to hear her.

"Gwen, something's wrong about this. This guy, claims his name is Mike? Look how he writes. Says everything a girl would want to hear without a single slip up or revealing any real information about himself. Everything is focused on finding out more about Alicia, asking her all the questions and barely answering any himself, just vague responses before asking more about her. Constantly complimenting her, asking for pictures. What does that sound like to you?"

She sighed, closing her eyes. Something as bad as a monster if not worse in many cases. "A pedophile. Fuck."

"Sammy's right, this is setting off my radar too. Look, here he asks her if she likes to get high, that it's real fun and she should try it. And he constantly hints at wanting to meet her, that she sounds so mature for her age, not like other girls. We gotta find this kid, she could be in for a world of hurt."

Just then, Castiel popped back in, making Sarah shriek in shock. "My apologies." He moved to where they were, his eyes saying everything. "I found her. She's at a bar called The Wagon Wheel. I believe she's been drugged." He paused. "There are ghouls in that bar."

"Motherfuck." Gwen growled. There was no way she was going to let one of those disgusting monsters hurt one of her people. If they laid one hand on her, it would be the last thing they ever did. "Lemme get my knives and then you zap me there, Castiel. They probably know she's from the Rez. They might be watching to see if any of us leave, that is if they know the boys are here. Either way, she needs help. Someone needs to stay here with them so they don't try to follow us."

"I can render them unconscious easily."

"No Cass. I'll stay behind." Sam was quick to speak up. "Lily's asleep upstairs. Someone has to stay behind for her and for anything else going on here."

Gwen nodded, feeling like a live wire and that urge to kill rising. If those ghouls laid a finger on one of her people, she'd paint the walls with their blood. "Thank you Sam." She headed for her basement where her personal armory was, Dean close behind. "I can handle this alone, Dean." It was better if she did it alone anyway and not risk anyone else.

"I'm sure you can. I'm going with you anyway." He said matter of factly, grabbing one of the other sets of silver knives after hesitating over an angel blade. "Sammy's got everything here and we don't know what's going on yet."

She sighed. "I don't want you to get hurt. Like last time."

"I've had much worse than a broken arm, sweetheart. Not going to stop me from helping you save this kid. Besides, I have a score to settle with ghouls."

She had been strapping a knife holster to her thigh and stopped. "Because of Adam, your half brother?" Sam had told her one day during a walk around the Rez about how they discovered they even had a half brother and how what they met hadn't been him but a ghoul bent on revenge for what their father had done years before.

He nodded, a grim look on his face. "The kid had no idea what being a Winchester was and he ended up paying for it anyway. Twice. I couldn't save him but I can kill as many of these sons of bitches as I can. That much I can do."

She could see the determination in his eye and radiating off his aura. "Let's go get Alicia."

* * *

In a blink of an eye, Gwen found herself with Castiel and Dean in the parking lot of The Wagon Wheel, one of the closer bars to the Rez. She'd only ever been in it a couple times, usually to pick up someone from the Rez who'd had too good of a time and once during a vampire hunt. Gwen was quick to look around as she entered the crowded bar, the Sight allowing her to see that there was definitely more than one ghoul in this bar. It was busy and loud and they hadn't been noticed by everyone just yet. Had she ever seen so many ghouls in one place? Castiel nodded toward the back where she could see Alicia. The girl looked drunk but her aura was all wrong for that. Definitely drugged, probably roofied. And the thing she spoke to that she thought was a boy a little older than her was most definitely a ghoul.

"Cas, get her out of here first. We'll handle these things." Dean said low, his eyes looking around. "How many of these assholes are ghouls?" He no doubt had an idea that it was probably too many to make it an easy fight.

"Enough. This is going to be ugly. You ready?"

"As ever. I got your back. Anything that reacts to the silver we kill."

"Don't let them separate us. They are going to count on their speed." She looked to Castiel. "We have this. Get her out."

She was very thankful for Castiel in that moment and his wings. He was at Alicia's side and they were gone in a matter of seconds. This of course made the patrons very upset and immediately notice the two that stood out from them. The bad country music that had been blaring abruptly cut off and she took a moment before stepping forward. Maybe she could get them out of here without having to try and take on the whole bar. Her mom had done it once with a nest of vampires, maybe she could bullshit her way into getting out of here and then just setting the place on fire and picking them off as they tried to escape. Either way, some of these monsters were dying tonight. "There is no need for a fight. The girl belongs to me, she's under my protection. No one touches anyone from Three Meadows. You have a problem with that, too bad."

"The girl was gonna be our dinner!" One ghoul who happened to look like an overweight blonde woman spoke up. "You gonna be our dinner now?" How had this one lasted without being ganked?

"Not fucking likely." Dean growled.

"You aren't leaving here alive, Protector. I can smell the angel on you. You gonna be good to eat." Another spoke up, looking like the town drunk with greasy hair and an old dirty flannel. It seemed to be older but spoke with a false bravado. "We'll have the Winchester for dessert!"

Gwen pulled out her knives, making sure to stay back to back with Dean. "This doesn't need to happen. Let us go and stay away from my people and no one has to die tonight." Which was completely bullshit but they didn't need to know that. Let them figure it out when the flames started.

Before anyone else could say anything, the overweight blonde looking ghoul rushed them and Gwen swiftly decapitated it and Dean shoved his blade through the thing's eye before the body even hit the ground.

"GET THEM!" A voice from the back screamed.

"Oh fuck." The pair cursed and the fight was on. They concentrated on staying together though there were a few times they were separated thanks to the inhuman speed of the ghouls. What the monsters hadn't taken into consideration was that thanks to the bit of angel they'd smelled on Gwen, she was able to move nearly as fast as they could. She was lucky to have been working with Castiel to learn how to best use Bria's grace. Most of them didn't know how to fight, just use brute strength and speed. She was able to use that to her advantage. She'd knock them senseless for Dean to finish off.

They were nearly to the door when the room burst with light, Gwen moving swiftly to dive onto Dean and cover his eyes and ears as Castiel made his return, completely amped up, his wings extended, eyes blazing and angel blade in hand. A cocky ghoul made the attempt to rush him and Castiel stopped him with his hand to his head, smiting him before decapitating him with his blade.

The surviving ghouls took the hit and booked it for the back, where the few humans who'd been in the bar at the time and had no idea what was going on had gone out the second the fight started.

Once Castiel's grace dimmed, Gwen moved back from Dean. "You okay?" She looked at his face, his nose bleeding and his lip split from a rather spectacular flight into the back of the bar.

"I'm peachy." He quipped, wiping at his face with a grimace. "Fucking ghouls. Though you didn't have to jump me in the middle of the fight. I know I'm sexy when I'm killing things, but show some restraint."

She rolled her eyes and half shoved him, both of them nonchalantly just sitting on the floor with more than one decapitated corpse around them. "I didn't jump you, asshole. I was saving you from potentially having your head explode." She laughed with a sigh, looking up to Castiel who was looking around the bar, his angel blade still in hand in case any ghoul was dumb enough to try another attack. "Alicia okay, Castiel?"

"She will be. I healed her of the drugs in her system and she has been reunited with her parents. Sam is attempting to find out more about who lured her here. Are you alright?"

She smiled, accepting the angel's offered hand and getting up. "Yeah, it was a good fight. Wish we had gotten all of them but maybe the survivors will spread the word to stay away from this area." She looked to Dean who also accepted Castiel's help in standing up. "Nice decapitation with the bar gate."

"Thanks. Always wanted to try that." She moved to heal him and he stopped her with his hand to her wrist. "Thanks but you were using a lot of the grace in the fight. Let Cass do it so you don't exhaust yourself."

She raised an eyebrow, her wrist still in the hunter's hand. "You watching me that close, Winchester?"

He gave her a smirk. "What can I say, I have a weakness for women who don't think anything of taking on a bar filled with ghouls."

She shook her head and let her hand drop, Castiel stepping in and touching his fingertips to both of their foreheads to heal them. She was pretty sure she'd only had a few cuts, maybe some nasty bruises and an aching shoulder from a ghoul that'd used her arm to swing her across the room. She sighed, feeling what she was able to sense as Castiel's distinct grace wash over her like a warm breeze. "Thank you, old man."

"Of course. Let's get back to the reservation before the survivors try to mount a counterattack. That is if they are that suicidal."

"Ready when you are."


	21. Chapter 21

**Gwen POV**

Dean looked up when he heard the screendoor and Gen stepping out, freshly showered and feeling much more relaxed. Hard to believe not even an hour before she'd been taking out ghouls left and right. They had counted the bodies before they left the building and set it on fire to dispose of the corpses. The world had 19 less ghouls in it now. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. Hey Sam."

"Hey Gwen. Rough night."

"I've seen worse. So have you. Thanks for staying behind with them, figuring out everything on the computer."

"Not a problem. Thankfully Lily stayed asleep for the whole thing. I'm glad you got there before anything happened to Alicia. She's a good kid."

"Yeah. A good kid who should have known better. If Cass hadn't been here, we might not have made it in time." Dean said, his fingers drumming on the side of the coffee mug in his hands. It was obvious he was bothered by what a close call it had been. "She was lucky."

Gwen couldn't argue with that very basic truth that came with both the supernatural and with hunting. "Dean's right. More than that, am I the only one concerned about ghouls using the internet to get themselves dinner? Or that that many ghouls were hanging out in one place? Nevermind them being that close to the Rez."

The brothers shared a look. "We were thinking the same thing." Sam said. "Normally ghouls are solitary. I mean, one of the few times we've seen them working together was that sibling pair we ran into a few years ago that I told you about. The only reason they were even together was for revenge. What would this many ghouls be teamed up for?"

"Nothing good." Dean said, taking a sip of his coffee. "We're going to have to hit the internet, everything. We've been slacking and something is going on that we weren't paying attention to."

Gwen sighed. Of course Dean would take this personally. She reached out and ran her fingers through his hair, gently scratching his scalp with her nails. "Not tonight. We can start in the morning. We need rest and then we can figure out what to do next with clear heads."

Sam nodded in approval, smiling at how easily his brother had given in, his head resting against Gwen's hip as she continued the scalp massage. It was a far cry from the same man who'd barely been able to hug her back when she hugged him for the first time back in Arizona. "Sounds good to me. Where's Cass?"

"He's with Alicia and her family. I think he was concerned about Alicia having bad dreams about what could have happened and any lingering effects the drugs they gave her had. He'll probably just watch TV in their living room while they sleep. His grace will be enough to help them rest easy."

 **Sam POV**

Sam woke up and made his way to the room that was in the process of becoming a bedroom for Lily to find that the toddler had actually not woken him up for once and had let him sleep. Running his hand through his hair, he made his way downstairs to find her plopped down on the floor with coloring books while a brightly colored cartoon he didn't recognize played on the TV.

"Hey Lily flower." He greeted the child, squatting down to kiss the top of her head. "Did you have breakfast?"

"Uh huh." She replied, her eyes locked on the screen. "'ean gimme pancakes!"

He looked up to where he could see his brother hunched down behind his laptop at the kitchen table, dressed in the same clothes he'd changed into after the ghoul fight the night before. It was obvious he hadn't slept. He stood back up and walked over to where Dean had a legal pad covered in notes. A quick read showed that Dean was documenting cases or potential cases from the last few weeks.

"Dean? What is all this?"

He looked up from the screen, his eyes very tired but very serious. "This is what we should have been doing instead of being on vacation here." He clicked to a different tab, the online article title "3 Teens Found Dead, Cannibal Suspected". "Right there. A rugaru in St. Louis. The first girl died three weeks ago. If we had been paying attention, maybe the other kids would be alive right now."

Sam sat down at the table, concerned. Was Dean actually regretting coming to Three Meadows? He couldn't remember the last time his brother was this close to happy nevermind being completely sober this long. "Dean, you aren't seriously thinking we were wrong to come here."

Dean sat back, running both hands over his face before picking up his coffee mug to find it empty. "I dunno Sammy. All I know is that I can't remember going this long without a case and we haven't really been keeping our eyes open for any potentials, now have we? Maybe if we'd been paying attention instead of playing house, those ghoul dicks would have never gathered like they did last night."

Sam flinched, wondering how much of that was a reference to the way Lily had attached herself to him and how much was Dean's own growing attachment to Gwen. "Dude, there's no way we can blame ourselves for something like that. We aren't the only hunters out there. We don't have to take personal responsibility for everything that goes bump in the night."

"We haven't been taking any responsibility, Sam. That's my point!"

"So your time here has just been a big distracting waste, then?"

Dean closed his eyes and winced and Sam felt his heart break at the look on Gwen's face as she stood in the doorway with Cass standing behind her. "That's not what I'm saying Gwen."

"Then spell it out for me Dean." Gwen's arms crossed over her chest. "Sam's right, you two aren't the only hunters out there. Why can't you take time to actually have something good and comfortable and let the others take up the fight once in a while?"

"Because most of them don't know what their doing!" Dean growled, standing up and throwing his hands in the air. "How many hunters have you met that would recognize the difference between a wendigo and a rugaru? How many do you think even know there's a threat to angels out there or that there are even fucking angels to begin with?" He paced a little. "We've been sitting here having our good and comfortable and people are dying because of it."

The room took a heavy silence with the exception of the sounds of the music from Lily's cartoon. Sam closed his eyes and turned his head to look at the little girl still in her "jamas" as she called them. He knew what his brother was going to say next and he wished he could say his brother wasn't right. But he was.

"We have to go. It's what we do, what we haven't been doing." Dean paused and took a step toward Gwen. "I'm sorry."

She looked up at him, the hurt plainly visible in her eyes. "No, I don't think you are." And with that, she brushed by them and went upstairs.

Cass sighed. "I don't understand why after all these years you still don't believe you deserve to be happy, Dean. Perhaps I never will." The angel looked disappointed and instead of going upstairs after Gwen, went to the living room to sit with Lily who simply handed him a crayon to color with. The angel seemed to know that the woman needed space right then.

"When do we have to go?" Sam asked, already dreading the trip out of the Rez. Watching Lily and Cass sitting together, he dreaded even more how the little girl would handle their leaving.

"Tomorrow morning. There's a case in Spokane." Dean said gruffly, sitting down at the kitchen table again. "I can do it alone, if you want to stay. You know, for Lily."

Sam was surprised but then again, not surprised. Dean knew from experience as well as he did about how much it hurt to have a parent who constantly left to hunt, not that either one of them were a parent to Lily No Clouds. But he supposed that it was a bit obvious that as much as the little girl had latched onto him, he'd actually enjoyed taking care of her and being the person she turned to for comfort.

But they'd tried the whole hunting alone or hunting separate thing before and it hadn't ended well. As much as he liked being at Three Meadows and having something close to a real life here, he wouldn't be able to think about anything else other than his brother was out there without anyone to have his back.

"No, I have your back. It's not like we can't come back between cases and stuff."

"Yeah. Sure."

Sam sat there for a few more moments before he got up and joined Cass and Lily, getting his own green crayon from the toddler who had thought nothing of moving to sit in his lap before continuing to color. He wondered how much Dean was arguing with his own desire to stay on the Rez. Sam knew his brother and part of this was him pulling away from Gwen before she could get hurt from being associated with them. He just knew it. Maybe Cass was right, Dean didn't think he deserved to be happy.

 **Gwen POV**

Gwen tossed off the covers and turned on her bedside lamp, unable to sleep. It had been weeks since the Winchesters had left Three Meadows to resume hunting. It'd been a mess, Lily crying and screaming for Sam and the taller hunter's heart almost visibly breaking as he gave the child one last kiss to her forehead before forcing himself to get into the Impala with his brother.

The boys were constantly working though Sam tried to make as much time as he could to keep her updated and Lily enjoyed being able to see and talk to him via Skype. Dean had been distant at first but soon was texting her himself or calling instead of Sam to update her on how the case went or what they had learned. She'd almost felt like Bobby, giving her insight and helping with research as well as a few times pretending to be their FBI supervisor, a fictitious woman who answered that specific phone with the words Supervisory Special Agent Gwen Smith. A bit of an upgrade for the FBI agent she had only had to pretend to be a few times over the years. Monster activity had been high but they couldn't seem to connect it to the potential Annihilist threat though all four of them were convinced it had to mean something.

But tonight felt different. She hadn't heard from the boys in a few days, any of them. She couldn't explain it but she had a very bad feeling something had gone wrong or something was wrong. She'd sent more than one message and had even prayed to Castiel but for the first time since they'd been reunited, the angel didn't appear.

She tried to reassure herself as she made her way downstairs for some tea that she was blowing things out of proportion. Maybe the boys were doing a case where there was little to no cell coverage. They'd told her of a few cases like that, including one roughly a year earlier involving werewolves. There was a chance that Castiel couldn't just pop away because he was actively helping them. There was no reason to think the worst.

But she just couldn't help herself.

She made the tea with practiced hands, knowing there was a chance she'd be watching the sun come up instead of getting any rest. Lily was spending the night at the home of one of her little friends and Gwen was thankful, the child showing promise in terms of picking up on how others felt and potentially seeing auras. At least that's what Gwen assumed the color bands the child drew around her rudimentary stick figures meant.

The tea was half gone when there was the sudden sound of a car horn breaking the near silence of the night, making Gwen drop her tea, the mug shattering on the ground. Instead of a short burst, the horn just kept going.

Her stomach dropped as she knew that meant that there had potentially been a car accident in the Rez. But part of her knew that it wasn't just any normal car accident.

She was running down the street toward the sound before the door to the house even slammed shut behind her.

Gwen raced as fast as she could, the air cold and biting against her uncovered skin, stinging her eyes. All she could focus on was the sound of the car horn, that unending blatting sound. She turned the corner and saw exactly what she didn't want to see. What she knew deep down she was going to see but wouldn't allow herself to believe.

The Impala, hood crumpled against the tree in front of the laundry.

She pushed herself to run faster knowing that for the car to end up hitting a tree or incurring any kind of damage meant that whoever was behind the wheel, Dean or Sam, couldn't help it. Couldn't stop it.

She skidded to a stop by the driver's side door, her heart in her throat to see both Winchesters very bloody and it was far from anything caused by the accident. The car hadn't been moving fast enough to do any major damage. Sam looked unconscious in the passenger seat, his head to the side, a split lip visible. Dean was lucky he hadn't been driving any faster because he hadn't been wearing his seatbelt. Otherwise he would have ended up through the windshield instead of with what was probably going to be a nasty knock to the head from hitting the steering wheel when he hit the tree. He was slumped against the steering wheel.

She yanked the door open, trying to keep herself calm as she could. _Please be alive. Please._ "Dean? Sammy? Come on boys, speak to me." She put her fingers to Dean's neck, panicking for a second until she felt a pulse against her fingertips already slick with Dean's blood. "Dean, sweetheart, come on. It's Gwen, please?"

She took a breath and concentrated, trying to go into Protector mode. She had to try and stay calm and focused if she wanted to help them at all. She closed her eyes and reopened them, using her Sight to see exactly what was wrong with the two hunters. She gasped at the colors, confused at just what had happened to them. It'd be easier to figure out what hadn't.

"Gwen! Gwen! Let me help. Can you tell if he has a neck injury? Can we move him?"

She turned and saw Donna Red Tree who was a nurse at the clinic, a coat over her robe, a medic kit in hand. "His neck is fine. It's everything else." She choked as she carefully moved the older Winchester to sit back against the seat before reaching over him to turn off the car and silencing the horn by some miracle. "Dean? Dean, wake up."

The man groaned and both women gasped, not expecting it. "Sammy, we...we made it. Sammy, get...Gwen..help."

"Shh, I'm here. I'm here." She tried to sooth the man who looked like he could barely stay conscious. He'd fought to get them back to the Rez, back to her before he gave in to the pain and crashed. "Stay with me Dean, okay? You're at Three Meadows. You made it home honey. We're going to take care of Sam. What happened?"

"Ann...lists. Fuck...spell, dunno. Had to..." He grimaced, trying to sit up himself only to be restrained by the two women, Donna's husband opening the passenger side door to help Sam. "Sam?"

"We got him Dean, it's okay. The Annihilists did this?" Her mind raced. If the boys had been attacked or had attacked Annihilists, that could mean that the group had followed them in their desperate attempt to get back to the Rez. "Fuck." She turned and saw some of the Rez' night security coming to investigate the disturbance. She cleared her throat and addressed the small group waiting for instruction. "Get everyone up. Everyone. We might be under attack if they were followed. Get the kids and the elders to the bunkers. Not a fucking drill guys, MOVE."

"Got it!" Johnny Many Leaves said with a nod, a rifle already in his hands. He was quick to pull his walkie talkie out and started delegating work, just like they'd practiced.

"Gwen, I need you over here." Nick, Donna's husband called out. "Where's that angel of yours, your friend needs help."

"I don't know." She had noticed that the boys were alone in the car. Why hadn't he zapped them to safety? Where the hell was Castiel? She concentrated, calling for the angel but like the last couple days, hadn't gotten a response. "Dean, honey, where is Castiel?"

"Sigil." The man managed, coughing and wincing, blood splattering his lips. Internal injuries but how bad? How far had they had to drive in this condition? "They...they blasted him away. I don't...I don't know where. He...can't...tried praying."

"Shit. Okay. Okay." She cursed, trying to think of what to do. "Donna's right here, I gotta check on Sammy. We're gonna figure this out Dean okay?"

She did a TJ Hooker over the bent hood of the Impala rather than take the time to go around and moved around the door to see how Sam was. Her stomach turned at his aura. He'd been beaten severely and looked like he'd been stabbed, slashed, burned and possibly shot. But not with normal knives or bullets. There was dark magic behind these wounds. "Oh Sammy, honey what the hell happened?" She touched the hunter's face, feeling like she did with his brother for a pulse and letting out small sigh of relief when she felt one.

"Gwen, he's really bad off. We gotta get them out of here and to the clinic. I don't even know if we can handle this and we can handle a lot. Can you try some of your angel mojo to stabilize him?"

"I can try." She took a breath and concentrated, reaching deep down within herself for Bria's grace and touched her fingertips to Sam's forehead.

What she didn't expect was to feel like she was physically shoved away, hard enough that she stumbled and fell on her ass on the cold ground.

"What the fuck was that?" She stumbled to get up, almost crawling back to the car and really looked at Sam and his aura. What she saw was something Castiel had taught her in case they went up against anyone who was warded against angels. "Oh no. No no no. They did something where he's blocked from angel grace. Shit!"

"He needs angel magic Gwen. Magic period." Nick emphasized as he waved over some of the clinic workers who'd brought two of the Rez ambulances and were bringing over gurneys. "We can try our best but I think he's going to need more than what we can do. What else is there?"

She looked to Donna who had been giving instructions to the workers on her side about what to do for Dean. "If I can't get help from upstairs, we'll try downstairs."

"Crowley?" Donna asked, having been there to help the demon through his human blood detox. "Would he help?"

"He has to." Gwen got up and rifled through Sam's pockets, relieved when she felt his phone and found it undamaged. "He has to."


	22. Chapter 22

**Crowley POV**

"You've reached the King of Hell, how may I direct your call?" Crowley answered, seeing that the Moose was calling. He was almost relieved for the distraction, even if it was from one of the more annoying people on the planet. He'd been stuck in hell more often than not in an effort to not only keep an eye on his demons but also to keep any potential traitors from finding out he was actively trying to help the Winchesters against the Annihilist threat. Perhaps Moose had some information he could use that would hopefully give him a reason to disembowel a few of his more annoying demons. Not that he really needed a reason but he'd always enjoyed watching the realization of just why they were going to die crossing someone's face just as their insides burst forth.

"Crowley?"

He furrowed his brow, not expecting to hear Betty's granddaughter on the line instead of the younger Winchester. Why wasn't she calling with her own phone? Her voice sounded shaky and unsure which was the exact opposite of the young woman he knew. She was more like her grandmother than hse even knew. "Gwen? Poppet, what's wrong?"

"They...they were attacked, I don't know. There's so much blood. I can't get Castiel, I can't heal them, they were blocked or something from angel magic and Sam's bad, real bad. I need help, please, you have to help them."

He was up on his feet immediately. "Gwen, love, I need you to calm down. Who attacked the boys?" He asked the question though he had a feeling he already knew the answer. Taking down the Winchesters was a monumental task, he knew because he'd tried and failed more than once. The fact that whoever had attacked them had been specific enough to block them from the healing power of angel magic told him nearly all he needed to know.

"The Annihilists. Dean said it was the Annihilists. They made it back to the Rez but crashed the Impala. I don't even know if they were followed or not. We're on lockdown." The sound of a shaky breath. "I don't even know how they made it. There was so much blood."

"They made it, focus on that love. I'm on my way and I'm bringing Mother with me. If angel healing isn't possible, she can figure out something else. What do you see with their auras?" The lockdown would keep everyone out, except for him of course.

"It'd be easier to tell you what I don't. I don't...I don't know how they are alive right now." Her voice choked and he heard her struggling not to get upset. Those damned Winchesters had wormed their way into her overly large heart and now it was in pain because of it. Had those fools tried to take on the Annihilists alone? It begged the question of just where Castiel had ended up if the morons had gone up against the group determined to destroy the heavenly host.

"Breath love. I'm coming with Mother. Help is on it's way. I'm sending my most trusted lieutenants to check your borders. Hold on."

"Hurry."

* * *

Crowley chose the park of the reservation as their place of arrival rather than appear suddenly in the middle of the clinic and scare the very people who were trying to keep the Winchesters alive. Not to mention the last thing he wanted to do was to startle Gwen who was more likely to react instinctively and he would be very put off by a decapitation.

"What were they doing, going up against these Annihilists or whatever they're called without any backup? How stupid could these boys be?" His mother questioned as he led the way to the reservation clinic, the dawn just beginning to break on the horizon. After everything with Chuck and Amara the year before, his mother actually had grown to almost like the Winchesters, something that was disturbing on an entirely new level.

"Mother, I don't believe the answer to that question exists. After all this time, I've stopped asking."

"Oh, look at the poor thing! She's gotta be freezin' out in her nightthings like that!" Rowena admonished as they came in view of the clinic where Gwen could be seen pacing dressed only in what looked like she'd gone to bed in. Just from the way she was moving, he could tell she was under a great deal of strain and no doubt it was why her people had left her alone. Better to do that than to agitate her more.

"Gwen, love, we're here." He called out as both he and his mother picked up their pace.

"Oh thank the Great Spirit." Gwen said with a big breath, rushing over to them."Thank you, I don't know what to do to help them."

"That's what we're here for, Gwen. Fergus! Give the poor girl your coat! You may be the King of Hell but I raised you to be something of a gentleman!"

Crowley rolled his eyes. "Mother, you barely raised me." He shrugged off the suit jacket anyway, tucking it around Gwen's shoulders. He put his hands on those shoulders that were shivering in cold though he doubted she had noticed in her singular worry over the Winchesters and gave them a squeeze to help her focus. "Tell us what you know."

"It's not much. I hadn't heard from the boys in a couple days. That happens with cases. But even Castiel wasn't answering my prayers and since we've been reunited, he always answers. Always." She spoke quickly as she led the way back to the clinic that stood out for all the lights on inside. "Dean was driving, he got them out of there somehow. He managed to say that it was the Annihilists. He was covered in blood and wounds but Sam is worse off. Dean...he was trying to get Sam back here for help." She stopped, her fists clenching. "But I can't do anything. I tried and whatever they did, it threw me."

Crowley watched his mother move and take Gwen's clenched hands in hers. "I'll do everything I can to help them, alright? Will your people let me help them?"

Gwen nodded, swallowing. "Donna Red Tree knows you're coming. She helped Crowley last year with his...his problem."

"Good. Now you and Fergus work on finding our wee lost angel, yes? I need you to focus, little girl because I might need your help with your earth magic. The boys need you to focus. You can be upset later. Understood?"

Gwen nodded again, her eyes locked with Rowena who was yet again surprising the hell, no pun intended, out of her son. "Okay." Then she closed her eyes, her small hands giving Rowena's a squeeze and he recognized that the Lakota woman was indeed focusing herself and pushing aside her emotions. "Alright. Let me know when you need me." She turned to him. "How are we going to find Castiel?"

 **Dean POV**

Dean fought his way back to consciousness, feeling like someone had just thrown him off a mountain and then dragged him back up and did it again. What the fuck had happened this time? He was so tired of waking up this way after so many years. He opened his eyes slowly, not sure what the situation was and found he was in what looked like a hospital room bathed in sunlight, his internal clock telling him sometime before noon. A cold puff of air told him he had an oxygen cannula up against his nose and turning his eyes to his left, he saw an IV and various machines. How badly had he been hurt? Looking down, he realized that while his bottom half was covered by a blanket, he was uncovered otherwise, not even a hospital johnny. More than that, from what he could see, someone had painted or drawn runes and other symbols on him. What the hell kind of hospital was he in?

Looking to his right he found himself more confused as he watched Crowley of all demons gently tucking his suit jacket around what looked like Gwen Dancing Bird who was asleep in an oversized hospital chair. Even asleep, she looked exhausted and he saw from the arm that had fallen off the chair that not only did she have a bandage at her elbow but that her palm was cut and her fingertips were black and red, like the markings on his chest. Had she drawn them? Had she used blood magic?

He was about to try and say something when Crowley held up his finger to his mouth, a request for silence as he then tucked Gwen's arm under his jacket and then stepped back, snapping his fingers. Nothing seemed to happen, confusing Dean more. "Silencing spell. So she can sleep. Had to give her a bit of special tea to get her to rest." He let out a sigh, taking a seat on a normal looking chair that was next to the bed, looking strange without his full suit. It was still odd how gentle the demon who'd killed how many scores of people in his time could be when it came to Gwen. "I should gut you for what you just put her through. What the hell were you thinking taking on Annihilists alone?"

Dean sighed. "We didn't know it was them." It had been an ambush, they'd been tricked into a warehouse and then had to fight their way out. Cass getting blasted away with a blood sigil he'd never seen before. Nearly dragging Sam who was barely able to move on his own. Trying to stay awake and keep Sam awake. Trying to get to the Rez. To Gwen. To safety. "Where's Sam?"

Crowley got up and stopped his efforts to try and get up, as pitiful as they were. He felt so weak. "He's with Mother, she's working on stabilizing him. Whatever these Annihilists did, he got the worst of it."

He sighed and took a breath before looking to the demon. "How bad?"

"He's blocked from angelic healing. Gwen tried to heal him and was physically thrown away. Whoever tortured you looks like they learned their skills in hell." He sat back down, his eyes glancing to Gwen. "We still haven't managed to find Castiel yet. What happened to him?"

"Got blasted away with a sigil. One I've never seen."

"Sounds like they knew you were coming." He sat forward in the chair. "How many people knew about Gadreel using Sam as a vessel?"

That questioned confused Dean and he was getting really tired of being this confused all the time. "I don't know, very few. I can't think of anyone we would have told. Even Sam didn't know until we were trying to get Gadreel out. Why?"

"Mother thinks that's why he got the worst of the torture. Whatever they did to him, it was made worse by the bits of grace that are still within him." His eyes moved to a sleeping Gwen again. "Turns out you being a complete ass to her might have saved her life."

Dean couldn't argue that. He had been an ass when they left the Rez after everything with the ghouls. He hadn't wanted to leave but all he could think was that he was getting too comfortable, he was approaching being happy and that never ended well. "She called you to help us?"

"Yes and you are bloody lucky I was feeling gracious." He shook his head. "Could you draw the sigil they used against your angel? Gwen's been praying so hard she's going to give herself an embolism on top of all the earth and blood magic she's been using to heal your stupid hunter ass. She'll feel better when he's here."

Dean nodded, feeling guilty at putting Gwen through all that. "Yeah I think so." He looked to the sleeping Protector before looking back to the demon. "What's your deal with her? It's more than what she and her mother did for you. Does it have to do with her grandmother?"

Crowley breathed through his nose. "It's none of your bloody business. Her grandmother was a hell of a woman, pun fully intended. She would have been one hell of a demon if she didn't have such a bloody pure soul."

"Like her granddaughter." Dean concluded. Made sense now a bit why Crowley actually cared. "They can see beyond the pompous demon."

Crowley rolled his eyes. "I think I prefer you unconscious. Don't tempt me. Let's get started on trying to get Castiel back while she rests."

 **Gwen POV**

Gwen woke slowly, feeling someone's fingers gently stroking her hair in a very soothing way. She focused on that comfort and realized that those fingers weren't just human, they were angelic. The comfort was partly due to the grace she was able to sense softly washing over her.

Castiel.

She opened her eyes to see her guardian angel was indeed standing by where she'd fallen asleep. He had a soft smile on his face, his eyes only just barely glowing as he stroked her hair. Was she dreaming? "Castiel? Are you really here?"

"Yes, little bird. You aren't dreaming."

That had her up like a shot, hugging the angel around the neck with everything she had, breathing in utter relief as he hugged her back and wrapped his wings around her. "Oh thank the great spirit! I was so scared! You weren't answering my prayers or my calls and the boys, oh the boys were so hurt and I couldn't find you!"

"Shh, child. It's alright. I'm here. I'm right here." He held her close and she could feel him using his grace to give her comfort. "Dean and Crowley helped bring me back. It's alright."

Wait, Dean? She pulled back from the angel and looked to the bed where Dean Winchester was awake but without the oxygen or IV she remembered him having and with a tshirt on though she could see some of the runes she'd drawn on him through the white cotton. "Dean?"

"Hi sweetheart."

She let go of Castiel to rush to the bed and hug the hunter, surprised at the strength of his hug being how hurt he'd been. "Dean, you stupid stubborn jackass! I should kick your ass but I'm so happy to see you awake!"

"You can kick my ass later. I'm happy to see you too."

She pulled back, sitting on the bed and seeing Crowley moving to stand next to Castiel. One of the last things she remembered was having tea at the insistence of the self proclaimed King of Hell. "You drugged me!"

"Only a little, love." The demon held up his hand with his index finger and thumb barely apart. "You needed the rest."

"What have I missed?"

"We reverse magicked the sigil they used to banish Castiel and brought him here. That's about it."

"Where were you?" She asked the angel. She'd been near sick with worry about where he could have been banished to or if he'd been destroyed and that's why he couldn't respond to her prayers.

"In a collapsed cave in the Himalayas. Not a pleasant place."

"How's Sam?" She couldn't help but notice that the other bed in the room was still empty.

"Mother is still with him. He's stable but she's having difficulty with what was done to him."

"Why?" The last she knew, Rowena had still been working to try and figure out just what was going on with the younger hunter.

Castiel spoke up. "It has to do with his time as the vessel for Gadreel. Despite the grace that I pulled out of him after Gadreel was expelled, there was still enough in him for their dark magic to attach to."

Her hand went to her mouth. "Oh no. And whatever they did to block him from angel healing is making it worse that he has that bit in him?"

Castiel nodded, his eyes flicking to Dean who had a dark guilty look on his face.

"It's all my fault. Gadreel would have never gotten to use Sam if it wasn't for me. We wouldn't have gone into that warehouse either if it wasn't for me."

"Dean, stop. If it wasn't for Gadreel, Sam might not have survived not finishing those trials. You didn't know he wasn't who he said he was or that Sam would have to force him out." She took the hunter's hand with hers. "Sam knows the risks of hunting just like you and I do. How are you feeling?"

"Still a bit like a hellhound's chewtoy. But better."

"Good. Those runes helped remove what magic they put on you and then we were able to give you an infusion which helped heal you since my blood has grace in it now."

"Why did you have to give me the infusion?"

"We're the same blood type it turns out, a rather rare one and the only other person on the Rez besides Sam who has it is a bit too young to give blood."

She waited until Dean made the connection. "Lily? I don't understand. Sam and I are family, that makes sense but I don't have Sight or anything like you or the kid do, why would my blood be similar?"

"Because you are the Righteous Man, Dean. And you still are the Michael Sword just like Sam is still Lucifer's intended vessel. It's an equivalent, cosmically." Castiel explained.

He groaned and let his head fall back against the pillows. "Of course it is."


	23. Chapter 23

**Dean POV**

Dean watched the preparations being made and while the sun felt good on his face, his stomach felt like it was in knots. Thanks to the work of Rowena and others they'd finally managed to figure out that the reason Sam wasn't getting any better or regaining consciousness was that his spirit was barely staying tethered to his body. It wasn't his soul perse, but his living essence. Rowena had only confused him with her explanation and Gwen had stepped in and simply told him Star Trek III and he understood.

Now the two were in the hogon that had been built by men of Three Meadows preparing, along with the Holsteen's from New Mexico to do the very ceremony that'd bound Briathos' grace to Gwen in an effort to reconnect Sam's whatever with his body. For once, he was thankful that they hadn't killed Rowena and that for whatever reason, her interaction with Chuck and Amara had had an impact on her.

" _Hau_ , Dean Winchester."

He looked up to see Elizabeth Sings the Grass making her way over to him. "Hi Liz." He said with the best smile he could manage when he was so intensely worried about his baby brother and helpless yet again to do anything himself to help.

"Don't tease an old woman with that smile, young man. More so, no trying to fool me. I'm too old and experienced to know when a smile is real and when it isn't."

He sighed as she took a seat with him on the bench that'd been brought over so he could spend time outside while the preparations were being made. He had a feeling it was more to give the medical staff a rest from him. He knew he wasn't the best patient and even worse when Sam was the patient. "Sorry. I'm worried about Sammy."

"I understand. I'm sure wherever he is right now, he's just as worried about you." She took his hand in both of her withered ones and gave the top of his hand a pat. "Just like our Gwen was all but terrified for the both of you. Did she tell you where you crashed?"

He nodded, remembering that momentary panic at thinking the Impala had been wrecked yet again. He'd gotten Sam back to Three Meadows just before passing out himself near the Rez laundry which was only half a block from where Elizabeth's house was. "Yeah, Donna Red Tree told me. How Gwen ran barefoot from her house, how she somehow knew something bad had happened."

The old woman nodded. "I happened to be sitting out on my porch having some tea when I heard the crash and then saw her dash by. I can't remember the last time I saw our Protector that scared. And that's even after you and your brother left us. Keep that in mind."

"I didn't want to leave, we had to leave. We had responsibilities we weren't keeping."

"That's buffalo shit and you know it, boy. You were afraid. Afraid of being truly happy. I've gotten to know you rather well and I can see it in those eyes. So afraid of hurting others and being hurt that one causes the other."

He sighed, knowing she was right. They sat quietly for long minutes before he spoke. "Will this thing work? The ceremony? Could it hurt Gwen?"

"Can't pretend I know the answers. I know Gwen will fight with everything she has to bring your brother back. I am thankful she will have the help of the Red Witch and the Crow."

Dean was confused for a second until he realized she was speaking about Rowena and Crowley. "It doesn't bother you that she's been a dark witch for however long and he's a demon?"

Elizabeth gave him a wry smile. "I've known the Crow before your father was even born, Dean Winchester. And you more than anyone should know that someone's past actions doesn't necessarily dictate that they won't do good acts in the future. I think meeting the Great Spirit helped the Red Witch find her way."

"Whatever did it, I'm thankful." He sighed. "I almost miss the days when it was just regular old monsters. No apocalypse crap, no cosmic consequences. Just us and the road and the occasional decapitation."

"I think you must be worthy of much more, it is why the Great Spirit has put so much on your shoulders. Must think you can handle it, hmm?"

Dean shrugged. "Before he left, with his sister, I asked him, what about Earth and everything. He said, Earth will be fine, it has you. That really messed with my head."

Elizabeth smiled, patting his hand. "Perhaps the Great Spirit was preparing you for this journey and finding that you and Sam are not alone in this fight. I don't think even the Great Spirit could keep Gwen away from this fight."

"That's the truth."

"Make sure you remember that, Dean Winchester the next time you think about leaving us."

 **Gwen POV**

Gwen stepped over to Crowley as the final steps were being made and Castiel helped Dean to the spot where he would need to be for the ceremony. The hunter was still healing from his wounds and his healing wasn't being helped by how visibly worried he was over his baby brother.

Dean sat in the West position of the colorful medicine wheel that'd been carefully made using colored sand of which Sam now lay in the center of, stabilized thanks to Rowena's magic. Gwen would sit to the North, the guiding position, while Rowena sat in the South as a balance to her and Castiel sat to the East, representing the rising sun. The ceremony would have Castiel providing the power, Rowena channeling it, Gwen guiding it and Dean being the anchor for the three as well as the beacon for his brother's spirit. Blessing Way had saved her life, the very least she could do was to try and use it to save Sam.

"Crowley, I need to ask you to do me a favor, before we do this."

The demon looked at her with critical eyes. "Why does this sound like a last request?"

"It's not. It's insurance of a sort. If something happens, something bad and I don't make it..."

"Wait, stop. You never said anything about this ceremony being potentially fatal. Does Dean know? Castiel?"

She shook her head. "A ceremony like this is delicate and you can't predict what the magic will do. I think deep down they both know it's not like flicking a switch and Sam's back. I'm just saying, on the off chance I don't make it...I need you to help the boys against the Annihilists. I need you to protect Castiel and Three Meadows. Please."

Crowley sighed. "I'm a bloody demon, the King of Hell. Not exactly the person you should be asking to step up in the place of a protector, pet."

"And I know you are so much more than a demon and there's a reason you are a king." She reached out and gave his forearm a squeeze. "Please, Crowley. For me."

He searched her eyes with his before his shoulders dropped in contrition."Alright, poppet. I'll do what I can. But you better not do anything stupid to make me have to step up. Hear me?"

Gwen couldn't help but smile at the sound of the demon trying to sound stern but instead sounding more worried. "I hear you, Fergus." She affected an accent like his mother to tease him.

"Bloody hell woman."

 **Sam POV**

Sam looked around confused. Last thing he remembered was being in the Impala with Dean. Dean yelling for him to stay awake that they were almost there. That Gwen would be able to help. He needed to stay awake. But it had been so hard and hurt so much.

This wasn't the Impala but it couldn't be where he thought it was. It looked like the trailer that Gwen's grandmother had when he had been a kid and she'd looked out for him while everyone else had gone up against the Wendigo near Three Meadows. It seemed real as he reached out and touched an aloe plant hanging from the ceiling in the living area he was standing in. Sniffing, he could smell frybread? Curious, he moved forward toward where he thought the kitchen area would be.

Just like he vaguely remembered, Gwen's grandmother stood at the stove, humming to herself as she worked a piece of dough in her hands before dropping it into the pan. She turned and gave him a smile. "Hau, Sam Winchester! It's been too long and not long enough. Come, sit. Have something to eat."

He found himself being ushered over to her small metal kitchen table that had seemed so much bigger the last time he sat at it, a freshly made piece of frybread put in front of him. "I don't understand. Where am I?"

"You are in my trailer _ohitike hoksila_ , don't you remember?"

"I know what it looks like but this trailer doesn't exist anymore." He looked to the small woman who had the same smile as her granddaughter. Somehow he was able to know she was calling him brave boy even though he couldn't remember learning those words. "And you, you died. Years ago." He paused. "Am I dead?"

"No, you aren't dead, Sam. You are on the bridge between the worlds. My granddaughter and the others are attempting the Blessing Way to save you." She sat down at the other chair, a dishtowel in her hands. "Eat, it's alright."

Sam took a hesitant bite of the frybread and managed not to groan as it all but melted in his mouth. It tasted so real and he couldn't help but nearly wolf it down. "Am I going to die?"

"Not if your brother can help it and you know how stubborn he is."

Sam turned and felt his breath, if it was really breath taken away. He knew that gruff voice but hadn't heard it in nearly 10 years. There stood the man who belonged to that voice in his old beat up combat boots, jeans, flannel and ever present beard scruff. "Dad?"

"Hello son."

He was surprised he didn't upend the kitchen table as he rushed over and hugged his father, sobbing as he felt the man hug him back. It really was his father, he could smell his aftershave and everything. "Dad!"

A rumble of a laugh came from the man he was sure he would have been crushing in reality. How many times had he wished he'd gotten a chance to just hug his father one last time after everything that had happened all those years ago. "Hey Sammy, it's alright. It's alright."

He pulled back, absently wiping at his face with the back of his hand. How was any of this possible? "I don't understand, what's going on? Why am I here?"

"It is a place for your spirit to rest while the ceremony cleanses you of what was done to you by the Annihilists and you can be reunited with your body. I fear I must apologize for it is my actions last year that helped lead you to where you are now."

Sam turned and saw Gadreel in the other vessel he'd had beyond himself, sitting at the table with Betty, another Native woman standing behind him. Gadreel looked like the last time Sam had seen him, not dressed in the business clothing angels tended toward but the street clothes he'd adopted in the vessel he'd ended up smiting himself in. He'd almost stepped back at the sight of the angel who'd refused to leave him and had forced him to know what it was like to be possessed by an angel and a demon at the same time. He also wanted to step forward and knock the angel on his ass for killing Kevin the way he did and helping Metatron do so much harm. He was stopped from doing either by the feel of his father's hand on his shoulder. "It's alright Sam, he can't and won't hurt you or anyone else."

"Who are you?" He addressed the other woman who he felt like he should know but couldn't remember. She wasn't dressed in business clothes either but in something he'd almost expect to see Gwen wearing, a pair of jeans and a tank top, her hair braided back neatly.

"Hello Sam. My name is Briathos."

His jaw dropped. "Oh my god, you're...wait, how are either of you here? Am I imagining all this?" The way he was seeing her meant that he was seeing Gwen's friend Angela who'd served as Briathos' vessel too.

"No, you aren't imagining it, _ohitike hoksila_." Betty said with a smile. "Please, sit back down and we'll explain."

Sam sat back down hesitantly, his father taking a chair from Betty and sitting down too. "Okay, explain. Please."

"Where you are now, son, is the in-between place. It's not the Veil because you aren't dead but it's not heaven or hell. It's the bridge between. I'm here because I knew you would be and they haven't figured a way out yet to keep me from my boys in some way or another. Gadreel is here because it's the remnants of his grace that was left in you that the Annihilist spells were able to focus on and hurt you so badly. Briathos is here because it's her grace that Gwen is using along with the earth magic that Betty taught her to try and heal you."

"I thought when angels die, that's it. Especially when they smite themselves."

Briathos shook her head, her hand resting on Gadreel's shoulder. "That's what we had always thought ourselves but we were wrong. Our father saved at least some aspect of us, of all of us. It is how our father has brought back Castiel so many times from the brink."

"Gwen misses you so much, do you know that?" Sam spoke up, amazed to be able to talk to the angel that had helped save Gwen's life. "She talks about you all the time. I feel like I almost know you from her stories."

Briathos gave him a brilliant smile. "I know she does. I miss her as well. I do not regret giving my life for hers for she has a greater purpose. I am happy to know she has been reunited with my brother Castiel."

"Sam, part of the reason we are all here is so we can help you against the Annihilists. If you are going to have any chance at beating them, you have to be able to use their spellbook against them."

"Dad, we can't even take it out of the box it's in. It's toxic to anyone with angel in them. I guess the little bit in me explains why it made my stomach turn. I thought it was the pages being made of skin."

"There's a codex, Sam. Just like with the Book of the Damned. If you get that, you can make the book safe for Gwen and Castiel to be around."

Sam shook his head. "You know about that?"

"There's very little we don't know, from where we are _ohitike hoksila_." Betty spoke up. "Who do you think sent the vision to Gwen's psychic friend that led her to you boys?" She gave an impish smile. "Go on, I'll give you three guesses."

Sam couldn't help but laugh. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Thank you, so much."

"I never thought my boys would be such a big part of the events in heaven and hell." John said, shaking his head with a smile. "I will say, I like that Castiel. He's a survivor. Though I have a feeling he'd have knocked me on my ass a few times just for the principle of it."

Sam nodded, having thought the same thing, as did Dean. "Yeah, probably. He's had to set me and Dean straight a few times." He took a breath. "Dad, I just..."

John put his hand on his shoulder. "I know son. I do. I am so proud of you and Dean, everything you've fought through and done. I know I wasn't the best father but you and your brother have made me more proud than I ever thought a man could be. I've seen you with little Lily by the way." He gave a wry grin. "It's a good look on you, son. That little girl loves you."

Sam wondered if one could blush on this bridge thing he was on. "She's a great kid, dad." Then a thought came to him. "Is her mom here?"

Briathos spoke up. "No Sam. Rose is at peace in heaven with Angela and the others. She knows her daughter is in good hands and loved by her people. Your time here is almost over. You need to get the codex."

"Where is it?"

"With the kitsune my Gwen killed. In Purgatory."

"I have to go to Purgatory?"

"No Sam. You cannot go. You are going to be too weak for it's trials." Gadreel spoke up. "The demon Crowley and his witch mother can assist those who go in getting there. It will not be an easy task as most of the monsters there will want the Annihilation to succeed. To defeat them and their plans you will need our brothers Michael and Lucifer as well."

"We don't know where Lucifer is though. And Michael's in the cage, how do we get him out?"

"You will find a way Sam Winchester. You always do." Betty spoke up. "You tell Crowley he has my thanks in caring for my granddaughter as he has done. I knew I was right about him. Tell Gwen how much her mother and I love her. Tell her _Heenakeeya chuntay skoo ya! Leela ampaytu keen washtay_ and she'll know you really spoke to me."

"Please tell Gwen that I am alright, as are all of those who encountered The Darkness that night." Briathos spoke up. "My brother was correct in explaining that The Darkness released the souls she consumed when she reconciled with our father. That much she can thank your brother Dean for."

"Son, it's almost time."

"Dad, I...I want to talk to you more. It's been so long! I missed you. The way things happened, I just..."

"I know Sammy. I know. We spent too much time fighting when I was alive and I'm sorry for that. Just keep being the strong man you are. Take care of your brother, even when he's being a stubborn ass. Make sure you remind him of that when he thinks of doing something stupid, like breaking Gwen's heart like he did when you two left Three Meadows. She cares more than you know about you two."

"Especially Dean, right?"

His father smiled. "Yeah, something like that. Come here." He hugged him again, almost crushing him. "I love you, son. Never told you that enough, but I do."

Sam felt tears again. "I know dad. I always knew even when I thought I hated you. I never did. I never did."

"I know. I always knew. Make sure you tell your brother. For both me and yourself."

"Boys, it's time." Betty spoke up. "Be good Sam. Be brave. Be strong." Then she put her hands over his and everything went white.

* * *

Sam gasped, opening his eyes to find that he was no longer in the trailer but laying on what felt like a forest floor but in a smoky dark room, his head pounding and his mouth dry. He could smell pine and cedar. There was only the barest bit of sunlight to be able to see coming from the ceiling. Where was he now?

"Sammy? Sam?"

He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again to see Dean above him, healing bruises on his face. "Dean?"

"Oh thank Chuck." His brother breathed closing his eyes in relief. "You scared the shit out of me! You okay?"

He nodded, his head making him wish he hadn't. The room spun and he closed his eyes just for a moment before opening them again. "I think so. Where?"

"We're on the Rez. They had to do that Blessing Way thing to clean you of the crap that was done to you and pull you back in to your body. We're in a real hogon or whatever it's called."

He blinked, his mind flooding with memories of where he had been. He could almost still taste the fry bread and smell his father's aftershave "Gwen? Where's Gwen?"

The woman came into his field of view, her small hands taking his. She had runes or something painted on her body and looked exhausted. In fact it looked like it was taking all her effort to not pass out. "Hi Sammy. I'm right here. It's alright. It's really good to hear your voice."

He shook his head. "I saw...I saw your grandmother. Wherever I was, it was a bridge between here and elsewhere. For me it was her trailer and she was there making frybread, just like when I was a kid and we were here."

Gwen gasped. "Oh my god. She's okay?"

"Yeah. She said to say _Heenakeeya chuntay skoo ya! Leela ampaytu keen washtay"_

He watched as the exhausted woman's eyes quickly filled with tears and escaped in twin trails down her cheeks despite the smile on her face. Dean's eyes were concerned and he put a hand on Gwen's shoulder as she let out a small sob. "What does that mean?"

Gwen looked up, still smiling. "It was unci making sure I knew it was really her." She sniffled, absently wiping at her eye. "It was something she'd say to me when I was having a bad day. Smile, sweetheart! Today is a good day!"

"Was there anyone else there, Sam? It's good to see you were in good company."

Sam turned his head, surprised but not really to see Cass sitting on the other side of him from Dean. Gone was the trench coat and his dress shirt sleeves were rolled up and his shoes and socks were missing. Something ceremony related? "Yeah. I wasn't alone, where I was. While you did, the stuff." He sighed. "I'm so tired."

"I know sweetheart. Blessing Way knocks you on your ass. I should have known Unci would be there to help you." Gwen absently wiped at a tear, looking up to the ceiling, her free hand over her heart.

"Briathos was too. She's okay. She said to say she misses you too. They all are. Even Gadreel. He apologized for his grace putting me here. Everyone Amara took, they are okay now, even Lily's mom and Angela." He looked back to Dean. "Dad was there. I saw Dad." He had to fight not to cry, still remembering the joy and the sadness of being able to hug his father again and actually appreciate being able to. Of hearing his father tell him he loved him.

"Sammy, you...you really saw Dad? He's okay? I mean, the last time we saw him was after I killed Azazel. When he pulled himself out of hell." His brother's eyes were wide in shock and hesitance to believe.

"Yeah, he was there and he's okay." He reached for Dean and his brother took his seeking hand in a tight grip. "He's proud of us, he really is. And he said to tell you he loves you. He didn't say it enough and he knows that."

Dean blinked several times, his throat visibly working against emotion.

"Well, Samuel, it's good to see you awake. Now don't think you are going right back into the fight. No, that won't be happening for a while, giant or not." Rowena announced from her position seated by his feet. She looked as exhausted as Gwen did, her red hair braided back and dressed in not one of her usual guazy gowns but jeans and a tank top showing off tattoos and runes that matched those on his brother, Castiel and Gwen.

"I'm only a giant to you, Rowena." He said with an exhausted sigh. "Thank you, for helping me."

She gave him a honest genuine smile. "Your brother is only barely tolerable with you here, I don't want to know how bloody awful he'd be without you, now would I?"

Sam chuckled a little, it was as close to a compliment as Rowena could get. "True enough."

"Rowena's right, about you not getting back into the fight. You are officially benched, Sam Winchester." Gwen said.

"I'd argue but I'm pretty sure Lily could take me down at this point." He said with a groan as he was helped by several hands into sitting up. He saw he'd been laying in the center of a massive medicine wheel made of colored sand. "If I could get up on my own that is."

"Don't worry about that Sammy. Let's just focus on getting you off the ground and back into a bed." Dean soothed in his own gruff way as both he and Castiel helped him to stand. It was then he discovered he was dressed in rough feeling pajama pants and nothing else.

"Normally this kind of ceremony requires the focus to be naked, but I figured you'd appreciate not waking up to us gathered around you like that. We'll get you back to the clinic and into real pants. Those are made from sacred corn husks and I'm sure they itch." Gwen gave him a wry smile with a touch of a tease to it.

"Gee, thanks so much."

"Ach. You Americans are so damned Puritan!" Rowena cursed. "Everyone's seen a willy, what does it matter?"

"Mother! For bloody hell's sake, please! I'd rather gouge out my own eyes!" Crowley cursed, holding open the cloth opening to the hogon so the group could move outside.

"Oh Fergus, grow up!"

Sam winced as he was eased into a waiting wheelchair, a few Three Meadows residents who'd been waiting outside calling out in celebration laughing at the antics of the demon and his witch mother. Gwen laughed and kissed him on the cheek as Castiel took the duty of pushing the chair. "Welcome home, Sam!"


	24. Chapter 24

**Sam POV**

Sam looked up from the sunset he'd been watching from Gwen's back porch when he heard the sliding glass door. It was strange how nearly dying always seemed to make him appreciate these small moments. Even stranger that he had had so many near death and actual death experiences that he'd lost count over the years. One that stuck out was when he'd come back from the Cage, or more exact, when Death had restored his soul to his body. He'd spent so much time in that Cage that he found himself overjoyed to the point of tears to see trees or a sunrise. He knew that even though Cass had absorbed the worst of his torment from Hell, he'd always remember that joy.

"Hi Gwen. I was starting to wonder if you were in a coma." The Lakota woman had been exhausted after the ceremony and Cass had threatened to throw her over his shoulder and force her to go to bed if she didn't go herself.

"I feel like I was." She yawned, stepping over and joining him on the outdoor sofa she had. He got the sense that she was still very worn out in the way she slumped next to him. "How do you feel?"

"Good. I mean, I feel weak but I'm okay. Just trying to wrap my head around everything."

"I get that. Took me some time to do the same when they did Blessing Way for me. What was it like, being able to see your dad?"

Sam smiled a little, part of him still able to feel his dad's arms hugging him tight. "It was good. Really good. I've always regretted how things ended between us. All the fighting we did, all the blame I put on him for the way our lives were. I never got to apologize for all the hateful shit I said to him. All the hell I put him through."

Gwen's small but deadly hand found his and gave it a squeeze. "The lament of all children. He knew how you felt, that you didn't mean it. One of the biggest faults of humanity is the things we say and don't mean."

"That's the truth." He gave her hand a squeeze back. He was thankful he was able to do it at all considering how bad everything at that warehouse had gone. He'd really thought that was it, that he and Dean and Cass were dead and it would be up to Gwen to save the angels. He remembered thinking that he wished they'd never left the Rez. "It was so good to see him. To know he's okay. The last time we saw him was in that graveyard, when the Hellgate opened. He crawled out of Hell to help us." He took a deep breath, wishing that he couldn't say that besides hunting, the three Winchester men had time spent in Hell in common. "I wish there had been a way for you to be there with me, so you could have talked to Briathos and your grandmother."

She nodded, her deep amber eyes looking to the now barely visible arch of sun as twilight set in. He wondered absently if because of the Sight she had, if she saw the sun differently too. If Chuck being mortally wounded was enough to mortally wound the sun, wouldn't that make the sun somewhat supernatural? His mind whirled. "Me too but knowing they are alright is all I need. I'll see them both again someday and it's a comfort to know they are watching over the Rez. I think I'm more relieved that she still exists, that she wasn't wiped from existance."

"I guess we just presumed, I think angels did too, that when a being as powerful as them was taken out, that was it. Of course that's kinda stupid considering how many times Chuck brought Cass back and we just took it for granted."

"And in our line of work, you can't really take anything for granted." She took a deep breath before she asked another question. "How did you feel seeing Gadreel? That had to be a shock."

"Angry at first because of everything he did, including killing Kevin and helping Metatron. But he was there out of guilt because it was his grace that made whatever they did to me work. That his grace was left behind because he had to be forced out." He rubbed at his neck, remembering Cass' efforts to remove the remaining grace so they could trace the wayward angel. "But Briathos was standing there supporting him and my Dad didn't see him as a threat either."

"I was talking to Castiel about Gadreel. About how he'd been in the equivalent of Heaven's jail for not guarding Eden well enough and everything that happened with Adam and Eve, the creation of Hell and Purgatory and even Lucifer's fall. How he'd been blamed by most of the host for the Great Spirit leaving."

Sam nodded, knowing all too well what Gadreel was blamed for. He'd tried to see if he remembered any of it from his brief time as Lucifer's vessel like Gwen had some of Briathos' memories. But he couldn't remember anything from Lucifer's point of view and he didn't know if that had to do with the difference between an archangel and a regular angel or the fact that Gwen wasn't a vessel, she actually had Briathos' grace. "How does someone deal with being blamed for the corruption of mankind and the creation of Hell and demons?"

"I don't think you can, that's what Metatron preyed on. But he redeemed himself in the end, I think. And he recognizes what he did to you, he wanted to help."

"Yeah." Sam sighed, remembering what he'd been told would have to be done to combat the Annihilists. "I just wish they could have just told me how to do it rather than just say the Codex was in Purgatory. They didn't even say what the Codex was or where."

"We'll figure that out. Right now, let's focus on getting everyone better. I'm going to be counting on you and Castiel to take care of the Rez in my place while I'm gone. I think I might even be able to convince Rowena to help out too."

"You aren't going alone. You shouldn't have to go at all. Couldn't Crowley go? Cass has been there before, he could go."

Gwen shook her head. "Dean told me about his time there and how Castiel's angelic status served as a beacon for all the nasties. You add that to the fact that most everyone there would do most anything to assist the Annililists in destroying the host and potentially opening the door again? No way. He stays here."

"Says the girl with grace herself. By your argument, you shouldn't go either."

"I'm not letting your brother go alone and Crowley needs to keep an eye on Hell. I've been to Purgatory before without any warning and made it. This time, I can go in strapped and prepared for battle. Who knows, maybe we could figure out a way to cloak the grace or something. Either way, I got the angelic boost and a Winchester with me. What more could a girl want?"

Sam took a deep breath and let it out his nose. "To not go at all?" He looked at Gwen and the way she was trying to act so strong even though he could see plain as day that she didn't want to go back there. He wouldn't want to either even after his short time there and Dean's extended stay.

"That and some ice cream. Want some?"

She moved to get up and Sam grabbed at her arm, stopping her. "Cass was checking up on me before, when you were sleeping. He said that the ceremony potentially could have killed you because everything was being funneled through you as the guide. Is that true?"

He didn't have to be able to read auras or even body language to know that the angel had been correct. Gwen had risked her life to save him. She sat back down and turned to him, the solar yard lights giving enough light so he could see her face. "Sam..."

"Dean has no idea does he? That you could have died saving me? What were you thinking?"

"That it would have been worth it." She sighed and paused for a moment before speaking. "The last year, after losing Mom and everything hasn't been the best, you know? I felt like I was going through the motions as hard as I tried to be normal. Then a friend's vision sends me to Arizona and not only do I run into two boys I knew briefly but I found Castiel again. I finally got answers as to why he left, why he never came back." She paused again. "And spending time with you three, it just...it felt good. Probably the first good I've felt in a long time."

When she paused, he spoke up, keeping his voice gentle. "Your friend's vision wasn't exactly random." He smiled a little, remembering Betty's teasing way of telling him it had been her influence. "Three guesses as to where it came from."

She turned her head and blinked at him for a second. "Unci?"

He nodded. "She knew we needed you and you needed us. I wouldn't doubt my dad and Briathos helped her somehow."

Gwen smiled a little, looking a bit choked up at the idea of her long lost grandmother still worrying after her even in the afterlife. She put her hand over her heart and looked to the darkened sky. "Thank you, Unci."

 **Dean POV**

Dean sighed as he took in the damage that'd been done to the Impala not just from his crashing it into a tree but from their escape from the warehouse that had been almost a failure by mere seconds. She'd been through worse, much worse. His mind flashed back to how she'd nearly been totaled by that tractor trailer thanks to Azazel. Then being tossed end over end by Crowley's demons during the first angelic civil war. He'd lost count of how many times he'd replaced probably ever part of her at some point. "I'm sorry, Baby. Thank you for getting us home." He murmured, running his hand over her dented front end.

"I don't remember you having a concussion, Winchester. Are you talking to your car?"

He turned to see Rowena, who instead of being overdressed in her usual evening gown, was dressed in stylish jeans and of all things, a form fitting flannel, enter the garage that the Impala had been towed to after the accident. The people of Three Meadows had been very respectful in leaving the repairs to his discretion, though he knew he would barely need to ask to get any help or parts. Such was Three Meadows.

"I don't have a concussion and yes, I talk to my car. Is that a problem?"

"No." She shrugged, stepping over and taking a look at the damage herself. "I could do a spell you know. Fix it up a bit, maybe some magical shielding?"

He moved between her and the car. "No, no, absolutely not, no. She's perfect the way she is. Well, once I fix her up and all." He paused, part of his brain that seemed to sound like Sam reminding him that Rowena had helped save his life and Sam's and she had no real reason to. "But thank you for the offer."

The Scottish witch's eyebrows raised. "Why, Dean Winchester, have you become civilized?"

"Phht." He dismissed. "I wouldn't go that far. You saved Sammy. I can recognize that."

Rowena moved with her usual grace to a bench that faced the damaged front end of the Impala. "While I could take all the credit, I was far from alone in the effort. I was part of the team. You really should be thanking wee lovely Gwen. She was the one putting her life on the line more than any of us."

Dean had been leaning into the car itself to pop the hood and stopped short. Life on the line? Gwen had been exhausted, sleeping most of the time, like Sammy in the last few days. He'd chalked it up to the amount of mojo she'd had to use to help with the ceremony. Even Cass had been a little worn out. It was why he hadn't gotten a start on repairing the car till now, he'd waited till at least one of them was able to help the other two. He could take care of himself.

He pulled back and took a few steps forward. "What are you talking about, life on the line?"

"You dinna know? Love, the Blessing Way ceremony, whatever version of it is done is not without it's risks. That's why it's not done except in emergencies like that which we found young Samuel or when Gwen was nearly killed by Amara. The witch or Protector or shaman that serves as the guide does so with the full understanding that it might require that they give their own life for that of the person they are trying to help. Natural abhors a vacuum." She paused. "She didn't tell you?"

"No. No she didn't. Did Cass know?"

"I would assume he did, which is why he insisted on being a part of it. She talked to my Fergus beforehand. Asked him to step up if she didn't make it. He didn't tell you that?"

Dean fought the urge to growl under his breath. "No, no one told me anything." He tossed the rag in his hand against the Impala. "Son of a bitch!"

"Don't tell me you are actually angry right now. You should be thankful!"

"Gwen could have died to save Sammy and she didn't even warn me? What if she had died? Do you think Sam would be able to live with the fact that she gave her life for his? Do you know what that's even like?"

Rowena's eyes softened and she stood, walking over to him and putting her tiny hand on his arm. "Because it's what your da did for you?"

He yanked his arm back. "How did you..."

"Fergus told me, as did God. I mean, Charles." She stepped forward again. "Don't be angry with her. She did it out of love for both you and Samuel. She did it because she knows you would do the same for her. Why else do you think Castiel would even remotely allow her to do the ceremony?"

He sighed, knowing she had a point. Not that he was planning on admitting that.

"I'll tell you something, Dean. Something that I don't even think I've ever told Fergus, not that he'd believe me or care most likely. Before magic, I was nothing. A tanner's daughter. My father didn't care if I lived or died, mostly because I wasn't a son. He had no issue throwing me out of the house with Fergus because he wouldn't have a whore and her bastard in his house." She scoffed. "His house. Bloody hovel that smelled like piss." She shook her head. "What I'm saying is that I've been around a lot longer than you have and I've done many things in that time that were cruel for no reason and I've always regarded family and love as a weakness. And what did it get me? I abandoned my son who became a bloody demon. I'm rejected by my sister witches as a failure. And I made the mistake of helping Amara heal from Heaven's attack in my quest for power."

Dean drew the conclusion. "And that led her here. To Three Meadows. To Gwen's mom and the others."

Rowena's already thin lips all but disappeared. "Yes. And maybe the old Rowena might not have cared. But after everything last year with bloody Lucifer and Charles, I'm not her anymore. Just like you can't be the Dean Winchester who thinks he has to do everything on his own, damned the consequences. Gwen Dancing Bird risked her life for your brother because despite every hurt, every pain she's endured, it was instinct for her. That's how much you boys mean to her."

Dean was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "I think I almost miss the old Rowena."

The witch cracked a smile at that. "Could zap you in the ass with a spell if you like if you keep up being glib. Turn you into to a toad? Or would you prefer to be fuzzy?"

He held up his hands, finding it strange to be kidding around with the same witch that he would have had no problem killing before everything with Chuck and Amara went down. "Okay, alright. You made your point."

"Go talk to the girl then! Go! Off with you!"

 **Gwen POV**

Gwen had just gotten out the ice cream, while Sam got out the bowls and spoons when they heard the front door open and close. She didn't need to have Sight to know who it was. "Looks like a third bowl is needed."

Sam was just bringing the bowls over when Dean made his way into the kitchen, a serious look on his face. "Hey Dean, you okay?"

At the question, Gwen looked to Sam and saw a look of confusion on the face of the younger Winchester before she looked to the elder. "Yeah, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Really." Dean paused. "Can I talk to you, for a minute, Gwen?"

She nodded, resisting the instinct to look at the hunter's aura to see what was going on. "Yeah. Do you want to go outside or something?"

"Actually, stay here. I was thinking about going to get Lily from Sarah Wolf's house anyway. I can do that now. I could use the walk." Sam spoke up, the brothers using body language to speak in the way that only siblings or close family members could. Gwen had had a similar kind of shorthand unspoken communication with her mother.

"Yeah Sammy, that's a good idea. You okay to walk that far on your own?" Dean's serious face faltered for a moment as he showed concern for his still healing brother.

"I'll be fine. I'll just go slow. If anything, Sarah can give us a ride back or I'll call Cass. I'm fine." He turned and gave Gwen a smile. "We'll do ice cream another night."

"Okay." Gwen said confused as she watched Sam carefully put on a light jacket and head for the door. What exactly was going on?

She never got the chance to ask because when she turned back to Dean, he was much closer than she'd expected him to be and before she could even react, one of his hands had found it's way to the back of her head, gripping her hair while the other went to her side, gripping tight as his mouth found hers in a demanding but far from rough kiss.

Finally.

It only took her a second to react then, she prided herself on her ability to adapt. She kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck, groaning as she felt him back her up against the wall between the kitchen and the dining area. She had no idea where this was coming from but in that moment she was far from caring as long as he kept doing that little teasing thing with his tongue.

Soon enough though, breathing became an issue for them both and the kiss broke just enough for them to breathe or pant such as the case was.

She let her arms drop down so she was resting her hands against his waist, letting her forehead rest against his strong chest as his own head fell back and he took in a big breath of his own. The hand that'd been so firmly gripping her hair was now almost combing it with his fingers. "Mmm, any time you want me to shut up, that's the way to do it."

He chuckled and she felt a kiss pressed to the top of her head. "Duly noted."

A few more breaths and then she leaned back, looking up at the man who was so close and in some ways so far. "Where did that come from?"

"I'll answer with another question. Why didn't you tell me that the ceremony to save Sammy could have killed you?"

Fuck.

She closed her eyes for a moment from his piercing gaze, her lips feeling swollen from his kiss and tried to focus her thoughts before she answered. "Because you wouldn't have let me do it even though I was willing to."

His jaw clenched for a moment and the hand that had been playing with her hair stroked her face. "I want to be so angry with you. And then I walk in and I see the two of you just getting ready to have some ice cream. Like nothing happened. And it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Like that's what it should be like instead of returning to the Bunker or hitting the road for another case."

"Look at that. My evil plan to domesticate you worked." She teased, her eyes taking in the cut on his forehead that seemed so stubborn to heal. He'd mentioned how often he'd split open his forehead in the same spot.

"Appears so." His eyes flicked down and away from hers. "Don't...don't do that again though. Not tell me, I mean. I know what it's like to have someone trade their life for yours and I've done it. It's never good to keep that a secret, you know?"

"I understand." She sighed. "This is something, isn't it? You and I?"

He nodded, his eyes searching her face. "Yeah, I think so." He took a deep breath. "And...we both know that it can't...be something until we get back from Purgatory. We can't be distracted."

As disappointed as she was, she knew he was right. They were grown adults and could control their more base instincts in terms of sex but if any of the monsters there knew there was something between them, it could endanger them more than they already were by being humans in Purgatory. "Yeah. I know."

He tipped her chin up with a crooked finger. "Just means we have more reason to make it as quick a trip as possible."

She gave him a smile. "We could do that."

He leaned in and kissed her again, less demanding and slower. Now she was determined to make this trip to Purgatory quick so she could find out just how many different ways this man could kiss. "Then that's what we do." He murmured against her lips. He took a breath before stepping back. "Now I just have another reason to hate these Annihilists."

Gwen grinned, turning to get out the ice cream after all. "You and me both."


	25. Chapter 25

**Gwen POV**

The days following Sam's return and that stolen kiss with Dean in her kitchen were busy ones for Gwen. An exact way into Purgatory had to be figured out that wouldn't be potentially fatal. There wasn't exactly a Leviathan they could blow up, the spell that had sent her there could have just as easily killed her and no Reaper could be trusted or would trust them after Crowley killed the one the Winchesters had worked with.

All in all, it had been frustrating all while working on helping the Winchesters recover from their ordeal and prepare the Rez for when she and Dean were gone. Then there was research into just where this Codex for the book was and what it could be and where. If the book had to do with Eve, the group had a theory that it might have something to do with the infamous tree of knowledge which both Castiel and Crowley insisted still existed, at least according to legend. Gwen hadn't come across it during her time in Purgatory and neither had Dean or Castiel but considering they'd all been fighting simply to survive, it was easy to understand how the legend had stayed hidden.

One headache she hadn't been prepared for was for Tommy, Angela's son to go missing. She refused to call it anything other than that, despite the looks of Castiel and the Winchesters. Just the same she wasn't blind. He hadn't been taken and he'd all but declared more than once in the time since his mother's death that he was going to leave the Rez and never come back. She just wish he'd waited till he was a bit older or at least until this crisis was over. He wasn't even 16 years old, what was he going to do? What really bothered her was that apparently he'd found a way to cloak himself from detection, both demonic and angelic. She tried to focus on the fact that he knew how to protect himself and couldn't be possessed. Of course it was a big world out there and there were no doubt still dangers that even she wouldn't know how to handle. She hoped that wherever Angela was that she was watching over her son and keeping him safe.

In the end, Tommy would find his way home, she was sure of it. The Rez had a power to it, more than just the earth magic that her ancestors had used to make it what it was or that it was one of the few reservations that had always had a Protector when so many had gone without. Crowley's mother, Rowena had even mentioned it, the red headed witch actually spending a good amount of time there under the guise of avoiding her son. But Gwen knew, Rowena liked being on the Rez and despite her quirks or maybe because of them, she was welcomed by the residents.

She was doing an early evening patrol of sorts with the boys now, the Winchesters healing quite quickly and soon enough, once they had everything figured out, it would be Sam and Castiel doing these patrols while she and Dean fought for their lives to try and get the information they needed to save the heavenly host.

Never a dull moment.

The sound of a car engine not unlike the Impala made her stop, Dean talking about how to bring weapons with them to Purgatory. She turned and was shocked to see a classic car that she hadn't seen in years idling up to them with four people inside.

The two brothers had continued walking a few feet before they noticed Gwen had stopped and they were quick to join her, immediately noticing the 1973 Charger that stood out on the Rez just as much as the Impala had when they first arrived.

"Gwen, who is this?" Dean asked, both he and Sam reaching for the guns they had tucked in the backs of their pants no doubt ready to call on Castiel who was helping out at the clinic with Rowena of all people.

She turned and put her hands up. She shook her head. "Down boys. These are friends of mine from a case I worked in Miami. Remember I told you about that pack of rugarus that had us chasing them for a while? Mom and I ended up in Miami. I stayed behind a few weeks and she came home after we took this pack down. These people are why I stayed on a bit."

She turned back to the Charger that had just been turned off and the doors opened to reveal three people she recognized and the fourth stayed in the car. A quick look at auras told her that the fourth was an ally and was nervous but not in a dangerous way. "Well look what the buffalo dragged in. Is that the infamous Michael Westen?"

The dark haired man gave her a rare grin as he took off his trademark expensive sunglasses, something he didn't do very much unless it was part of a cover. He made his way around the car and Gwen could see that much like herself and the Winchesters, he and his companions were also armed. That was one thing she hadn't had to teach Michael when she'd run into him in Miami, he knew all about being prepared.

"Gwen, you look fantastic!" The slight woman who'd been in the front passenger seat greeted with a genuine smile that was common to her lips. "We got your email and thought we'd drive out here to see you like we always said we would one day."

Gwen nodded, hugging the Irish expat. "Fiona Glenanne, it's good to see you." She looked around Fiona to the older man who looked a bit uncomfortable and stood out with his loud Hawaiian shirt. "Sam Axe, please tell me you aren't already wishing for a drink."

The former Navy Seal sighed. "No, I don't drink anymore. Not after that whole thing with the ghouls and that witch we ran into." He shuddered dramatically. "Good to see you little girl." He gave her a smile and then stepped forward with his hand out. "You boys must be the Winchesters we've heard so much about. Sam Axe, nice to meet you."

"Umm, nice to meet you too. I'm Sam, too. This is my brother Dean." Sam stepped forward to shake the man's hand while Dean gave him a simple guarded nod. "You guys are hunters?"

"Of a sort. We had no idea about any of this supernatural business until a case of ours ran into Gwen's a few years ago." She shook Sam's hand too. "I used to be IRA and then a part time arms dealer. Now I hunt. I like to diversify."

"And you?" Dean spoke up, looking to Michael. "What's your story?"

"My name is Michael Westen."

Before the man could finish his introduction, both Gwen and Fiona finished it for him. "He used to be a spy, until..." They broke into laughter, the former spy rolling his eyes at their teasing.

"And your friend in the car?" Dean continued, nonplussed by Gwen not being on guard with the group.

Sam Axe leaned down and waved to the person with a smile. "She's another hunter we ran into and she's pretty much the reason we drove out."

It was Sam Winchester's gasp that confused Gwen when the woman got out of the car, dressed in what seemed to be hunter uniform, namely jeans and flannel and made her way around the car. "Hello Sam." Her voice was off and she used her hands along with her words and Gwen realized then who she was. It was Eileen, the deaf hunter that the boys had run into when they had been hunting the siren that had killed her parents and deafened her as an infant. Sam had mentioned her more than once and it was kind of obvious there was more than just friendly feelings between the two.

"Eileen!" Sam was quick to make his way over to the woman, yanking her into an embrace that made the woman laugh happily and nearly disappear as she hugged him back. He pulled back and took a second before using his hands along with his voice. "What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Sam. Fiona got Gwen's email about these Annihilist people and I thought it would be a nice surprise." Eileen explained. "Surprise!"

"Why don't we head back to the house?" Gwen spoke up. "It's about dinner time and I want to hear everything about Miami and what's been going on." She stepped forward and put her hand on Michael's arm. "I heard about your mom, I'm so sorry."

The former spy's aura rippled but stayed confident. "Thanks. I'm sorry about your mother too. She was quite the lady." He turned to Sam and Dean who both looked confused. "She knocked our Sam on his ass with one punch."

"Not that difficult to do." Fiona said with a wry smile.

 **Dean POV**

Soon enough the whole group was out on Gwen's patio in the waning evening light. Dean had been more than hesitant about the sudden arrival of the group, it was his nature and even more so now with the threat of the Annihilists. He wasn't ever going to let them get the drop on him or Sammy ever again and if they thought they would ever touch Gwen, they were sadly mistaken.

Now as he heard the story of how the former spy and his friends had met Gwen and her mother during their ruguru pack chase, he could see how easy it was for them to go from not just fighting human injustices behind the scenes in Miami but also taking down monsters and demons who threatened the city as well. They had other friends who'd stayed behind to continue the fight. He liked this Westen guy and had a feeling that his father and even Bobby would have liked Sam Axe. The stories they told were like a real life James Bond and he had a feeling that anyone who crossed the group quickly regretted it. Hopefully they would be able to think of a few tricks he and Gwen could use in Purgatory.

Gwen had been filling them in on how she'd run into them again in Arizona and being reunited with Cas when she realized that while the group had a vague idea of angels, none of them had actually met one. "Castiel!" She called out, confusing them.

Cas appeared a moment later with little Lily in his arms, the angel doing his best to help teach her about her gifts like he had when Gwen was a child.

"What the hell?" Eileen cursed, reaching behind her for a weapon as did the other three.

Both Winchesters moved to stop them while Gwen moved to stand in front of the angel and child who no doubt had no idea what was going on or who these strangers were.

Sam moved where the woman could read his lips. "It's okay, this is Castiel. I told you about him, he's our angel friend. Remember? He's a good guy. That's Lily. She's one of the Reservation kids. The one I told you about."

"Hello." Cas greeted in his monotone way. "I was unaware we had guests. My apologies for my abrupt arrival. I am told it can be surprising."

Meanwhile, Lily squirmed in Castiel's arms to be let down and the moment her feet touched the ground, made her way over to Eileen, looking up at the new face. The two regarded each other for a moment before Lily, without saying a word pointed to herself, then to Eileen and then up.

"Oh my god." Gwen whispered.

"Did she just?" Dean was shocked, as were Sam and Eileen. How did this tiny girl know without being told that Eileen was deaf? "I wasn't the only one who saw that, right?"

Eileen spared a look at Sam who just gave her a shrug before she leaned over and picked up Lily, setting her on her hip. "Hello. I'm Eileen." She put her hand on her chest to emphasize her name.

Lily nodded and proceeded to introduce everyone in her own way, which included, much to Castiel's frustration, introducing him as Pretty. Dean didn't even react to being called 'ean anymore and besides, it made Gwen smile. The toddler was a little shy with the new arrivals but gave them smiles just the same, though she refused to believe there was someone else named Sam. She shook her head and declared that Sam Axe was just Axe. The older man shrugged. "I'm not gonna argue with the little lady. Axe it is sweetheart."

"How does she know I can't hear?" Eileen asked after they had all sat down, Lily insisting on sitting right between Eileen and Sam.

"Lily is like Gwen, she has Sight. She must be seeing auras, right Gwen?" Sam theorized.

"My aura shows that I'm deaf?"

"You lost your hearing due to supernatural circumstance when you were still a baby. It changed your aura." Gwen explained. "It might be that or a different aspect of Sight. It's not the same for everyone."

"Auras are affected by life experiences. Right Gwen?" Sam explained, making sure that Eileen could see his mouth when he spoke, his knowledge of sign language still very basic. Dean had teased his baby brother about learning it just to impress a girl but he liked Eileen and seeing Sam light up at the sight of the deaf huntress had been the bright spot of his day. How ironic that she would end up running into friends of Gwen. He wondered if that was more of Gwen's unci's doing, much like her part in getting her granddaughter to Arizona to save their asses in more ways than one.

"I don't even want to know what mine looks like." Westen said. "So is your Sight different now that you are part angel? I'm still confused on that."

"It's difficult to explain. I can't do the same things Castiel can do like if I was the vessel for an angel but I have aspects of Briathos' gifts. I can move pretty quick if I want. Do a bit more healing that doesn't require a spell. And I can give a light show if I try." She stood up and took a deep breath before opening her eyes that lightened a bit, the faint shadow of wings appearing, nothing close to what the group had seen when Cas had amped up at Gwen's request.

"Holy kittens." Sam Axe said in surprise. He'd been flabbergasted by Cas showing off the shadow of his still healing wings.

"Kittens aren't holy." Castiel said, his head tilted as Gwen sat back down. "They are simply cute."

Fiona snorted, covering her mouth and Eileen smiled before speaking and signing. "I like him."


	26. Chapter 26

**Sam POV**

Sam sat watching Gwen working with Dean on some moves that Michael, the former spy and his girlfriend, the former IRA bomb expert, thought would come in handy for their trip to Purgatory. Just thinking about his brother and the woman who'd quickly become very important to both of them having to go to that place made him sick. The fact that they'd be going back for the second time for both of them and on purpose somehow didn't help things. He hated being benched, as Gwen called it. He wanted to be able to do more to help in the fight against the Annihilists.

"Hey buddy, mind some company?"

He turned to see Sam Axe walking over with two bottles of water, his ever present loud Hawaiian shirt making him stand out still on the Rez even after a few days. "Hey. Company is good. Just watching my brother get his ass kicked repeatedly."

The older man chuckled, handing him one of the bottles of water and they both watched for a bit in silence as Dean managed to get the hang of one of the moves, flipping Michael over his shoulder only to get pinned to the ground by tiny Fiona Glenanne who like Gwen, was much more formidable than her size would make one think. "Fi, don't break the guy! It's Gwen's reservation, she's got dibs!" He called out as Fiona rolled off Dean and Michael helped him up.

Both Dean and Fiona gave him the one finger salute for that one while both Michael and Gwen just chuckled.

"Your brother is a tough guy, you know that right? I've heard some of the stories even before we met up with you here. I know I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark alley. Not without a trusty rocket launcher or two up my sleeve."

Sam sighed. His worry was that noticable even to someone who barely knew him? "It's so weird to know people tell stories about us."

"Are you kidding? Kid, you should have a movie deal. A TV show at least." Sam Axe shook his head. "Listen, I know you've been through some major stuff that would probably melt my brain to even contemplate. I'm honestly still getting my head around the fact that your buddy Cas is an honest to goodness angel or that Gwen is part angel now. I'm just an old soldier trying to do the best I can to back up my buddy Mikey, you know?"

"From what you've told us, it sounds like you've been to hell and back together even without the demons and stuff Dean and I have dealt with."

The older man nodded, his eyes distant as they watched Michael and Dean standing together with their arms crossed watching the two women fight. "Yeah, there have been a few close calls. But my point is, you shouldn't worry about your brother. He's gonna have Gwen with him. If I was going to Purgatory, which I'm very glad I'm not, I'd want her with me too. They'll be fine." He took a long swig of water. "Plus once Miss Rowena figures out just how well they can be packing, we can help set them up with a few surprises no monster would expect." He gave a wry grin. "It's what we specialize in."

Sam chuckled as the two women surprised the two men observing by attacking them without warning. Dean's "Son of a bitch!" and Michael's plea of "Fi, fi FI!" seemed to more than amuse both women who had quickly taken the two unsuspecting hunters down. "I'm starting to realize that."

 **Gwen POV**

"Hey Gwen, have you seen Cas at all today?"

She looked up from her laptop where she'd been checking the usual sites for anything abnormal for signs the Annihilists were up to anything. So far she'd found nothing concrete. The Miami group had decided to take a trip out to where there was potentially a pack of vampires. "I think he headed out early this morning. I heard the door just before dawn. He's been getting to know the Rez better. Maybe he's being Nature Angel for the day."

Sam made a face like he wished he could believe that but he knew better. Then she heard Dean coming down the stairs and enter the kitchen. "Hey Gwen. Sam, no Cas?"

"No. Gwen said he went out early."

"Shit!"

Gwen closed her laptop. "Boys, what's going on? Is there something wrong with Castiel?" With the threat of the Annihilation, she didn't want to be out of the loop on anything that could potentially endanger the angel that had helped raise her. Not when she finally had him back in her life and not when she was going to have to be seperated from him again to go to Purgatory.

Dean sighed and shook his head as both he and Sam joined her at the kitchen table. "It's not necessarily something wrong." He ran his hand over his hair. "It's not a good day for him. I hoped he wouldn't realize what day it was or we could distract him."

"I don't understand."

Sam spoke up. "Remember we told you about Meg? The demon that gave us all those problems and then ended up helping us? She stayed and protected Cas when he had his issues after absorbing my Hell memories?"

She nodded slowly, still a bit overwhelmed, even weeks later by the amount of information that came with trying to keep up with the Winchesters. "Yeah I remember. Crowley killed her."

Sam nodded. "Yeah. See the thing is, she and Cas kind of had this...unrequited thing. I can't explain it. A connection I guess. He brought out the good in her and she sacrificed herself to save us and to save Cas. She called him her unicorn."

She furrowed her brow and then she realized. "Is today the day she died?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah. It was when we got our hands on the Angel tablet, when we found out about that bitch Naomi messing with Cas' head. He nearly beat me to death because of her but managed to fight through it." He looked away as if the memory was difficult for him. She knew that not that long ago, when he'd been under the influence of the Mark of Cain, he'd nearly killed Castiel himself. "I don't know when exactly he found out about her but he won't talk about it."

"Maybe he'll talk to me." She got up and started for the door, planning to go down to the corrals to get herself a horse since she couldn't exactly zap to the angel like he would be able to.

"Gwen, maybe it's best to leave him be?"

She shook her head. "And get lost in his head like you two do? Like I do? No. I think I know where he might have gone. Don't wait up."

* * *

Gwen slowed the pony, seeing the now familiar trenchcoat and it's wearer sitting on the edge of the cliff overlooking one of the more untouched valleys of the reservation. It made her smile that it would be here that he would go to when feeling upset. It had been a favorite spot of hers when she'd been a child.

Hopping off the pony, she pulled out some grain and tied it to a tree loosely even though Rez horses were pretty well trained to stay or if they got scared, to run back to the corral. She walked over toward the angel with his drooping wings and knew the boys had been right. Today was a bad day for her old friend.

"I should have figured that you would be the one to find me here." He said in his gravelly way.

"I thought maybe it would be a comforting place for you. Can I join you?"

He moved over a little, an indication of yes and she took a seat on the ground next to him. A quick look at his face told her everything she needed to know. Castiel was hurting. No need of any special abilities to tell her that. It was almost physical.

"I'm guessing Sam and Dean told you what today is."

"They told me enough." She reached out and took one of Castiel's hands that hand been resting on his leg and twined her fingers with his. "I'm sorry dear heart." It made her feel better to say something her unci might have said if she was there.

His head dropped and he sighed. "I don't...I don't understand why I feel like this. She was a demon and killed many people in her time. She nearly killed Dean and Sam many times."

"And she also managed to go against all that, initially to save her own skin but then because she knew what she was doing was right. She didn't have to help Dean when he first found you, after the Leviathans. She didn't have to take care of you."

He was quiet for long minutes. "She was patient with me. Dean gets frustrated easily and Sam has his limits too. She was...gentle, in her way. She had a way of explaining things to me in a way others couldn't."

Gwen listened, wishing she could have met this demon that had had such an effect on Castiel. "You make it sound like it was a burden, old man."

"I was then. After all I did and who I was..." He paused. "I was her mortal enemy. An angel. But she didn't seem to care about that. Even when my mind was lost and my sanity was so very shattered." He turned his head and looked at her, his blue eyes incredibly sad. "I would have nightmares. Horrible nightmares of what I had done. The angels I had killed, the deception I had committed in the name of power. She...she didn't judge me when I woke screaming. She held me." He blinked and looked away. "She called me Clarence."

Gwen smiled, thankful that this demon had been a unique one, much like the angel sitting next to her now. "And you were able to see beyond what she was. What she'd done."

"She was beautiful. She was damaged, like I was. She'd been twisted by Hell, forced into doing so much that she thought she had no choice and gave in to the darkness. But there was light within her. She would tell me to shut up, but I saw it. It was deep and small but so bright."

She gave his hand a squeeze and rested her head against his shoulder. "She wouldn't want you to mourn her, Castiel. She gave her life for the light, for the boys and for you. Because you saw more in her and she saw more in you. She loved you, in her way. You know that, don't you?"

He nodded silently and slightly tightened his grip on her hand. "I cannot help but mourn her. For the chances, the opportunities..." His voice trailed off. "I don't know if...we would have been seen as an abomination. A demon and an angel. We would have been hunted, hated."

"Not a first time for either of you. And you would have been together. I think that would have made it all worth it."

His lip twitched a little and he turned his head to her. "I feel guilt. I wish I could...I don't know, apologize to her for what she had to do. If I hadn't been under Naomi's control and forced to so much deception, maybe she wouldn't have had to sacrifice herself." He paused. "And when I was human...the reaper April." He sighed, knowing that Gwen knew about his one night stand that nearly ended in his death. "I wish it had been Meg."

"I know you do, sweetheart." She gave his hand a squeeze. "Do you have anything of hers? I would ask for a lock of her hair but it'd only be the hair of her vessel body, not hers."

He sighed and shook his head. "No, I have nothing. Why?"

"I thought you might want to do the Keeping of the Soul ceremony for her."

"That's a purification ceremony for the dead. She was a demon."

"Does it look like that matters to me, Castiel? She was important to you and more than that, she loved you. That's enough for me."

"I...appreciate the gesture."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Can you just stay here with me? I enjoy this view and understand better now why it gave you so much comfort as a child. Having a vessel helps me appreciate it."

"I'll stay here as long as you want, old man." She rested her head against his shoulder again. "It's what family does."

"Thank you, little bird." He sighed, giving her hand a squeeze.


	27. Chapter 27

**Gwen POV**

Gwen opened her eyes to find Castiel standing before her in his vessel, the slight breeze ruffling his hair and ever present trenchcoat. She'd been meditating in the area of the Rez that the buffalo herds seemed to prefer for both mating and giving birth. They called it The Renewing Place and it had been considered a place of strong positive energy since before even her grandmother had been Protector. She'd been expecting Castiel's return, the angel having made another trip to Heaven in his efforts to help them figure out a way to enter Purgatory without opening it all the way and risking releasing everything or killing Rowena in the effort.

What she hadn't expected was that Castiel would come back with a guest. She was thankful that she had decided to meditate alone, the boys along with the Miami group spending the day helping the people of the Rez much like she did when there wasn't an imperative threat. The angel stood by Castiel in all his/her glory though man sized and while she didn't know this angel, there was a sense of the familiar. Perhaps an aspect of Briathos coming forward.

She stood and bowed her head in respect, giving the Lakota greeting for a holy person and introducing herself formally as Gwen Dancing Bird, Protector of this land and these people. It had been a long time since she'd had to introduce herself in such a way, not since the Heavens had closed.

"Do you know me, child? I can see our sister Briathos within you." The angel spoke in English, no doubt not expecting her to converse in Enochian.

"You seem familiar to me, but I am sorry, I do not know you."

"I am Harahel, a Keeper of Knowledge in Heaven. Briathos was my sister and my good friend."

A memory flashed through her mind, just snippets, feelings. A great battle with much bloodshed and violence. Demons. Demons in Egyptian looking clothing. A rush of water. A massive cry of relief and thanks. Then feelings of regret. Not for defeating the demons but for the Egyptians who had been possessed. Comfort.

Castiel placed his hand on her shoulder only seconds after she put her hand to her forehead at the rush. It had been a while since she'd had a bout of angel memory. It had been something she'd had to deal with much more when she'd first been fused with Bria's grace but that she'd gotten better at handling. "What is it, little bird?"

"I'm...remembering something." Then she put the pieces together. "Briathos was one of the angels sent to help Moses and the Israelites. She was sent to stop Pharoah's army." She took a deep breath to center herself. "They were demons?"

Harahel nodded, as much as her angel form could. "Indeed. He offered them up to Azazel in return for power over all of Egypt. The tale was recounted rather differently in the human Bible and out of sequence with real events. She was bothered by the loss of human life though she spoke of it only to me. It would have been dangerous to speak it to others."

Castiel turned his head. "Naomi was reprogramming angels even then?"

"Yes, brother. Even then." Harahel said in almost a sad tone though there wasn't really tone to angel speech. Probably one of the reasons those without Sight ended up with an exploding head from it. "I come with news and potential help in your fight against The Annihilation. There is much to discuss, is there someone willing to be a vessel?"

Gwen looked to Castiel before straightening up, shaking off the lingering memories of the slaughter on the shores of the Red Sea. "I offer myself."

"No, child. You cannot. You are at one with Briathos, you cannot be a vessel."

"Let's head back to the Rez then. I know Sam and Dean won't, even if they could. I mean, they were destined to be vessels for specific angels."

"I think I know who would be best. Fiona Glenanne. She is here, yes?"

That surprised Gwen and made her stop short. "You know about Fiona?"

"It's alright Gwen, Harahel can be trusted. And yes, Fiona would be a suitable vessel, if she would permit it." Castiel spoke up. "We'll stay here."

Gwen made her way down the street to where everyone was working to help Elizabeth Sings in Grass with the various things she needed done around her home. She had no idea that in addition to being hunters, the boys were rather talented at general home repair and maintenance. They'd helped many people on the Rez with that in addition to helping her with general safety. She looked up to see them both on the roof of the home, fixing the leaky roof with Michael while Sam, Fiona and Eileen sat on the porch with Elizabeth.

"You guys keep this up and we're going to have to build a Winchester trap around the Rez to keep you here." She called out.

"She keeps saying we." Dean said, turning so he was sitting on the roof properly, his wrists resting on his bent knees. "Don't try pretending like it wouldn't be you specifically building that trap."

Sam laughed and took a position similar to his brother. "No trap needed. Feed him pie and make me fry bread and I think we're good."

"Hau, Gwen!" Elizabeth called out. "Did the Great Spirit speak to you in the Renewing Place?"

"No, not exactly." She said with a smile and a shake of her head. "Boys, it's time for a break. We need to head back to where I was. Castiel made some progress but there's a complication."

"What kind of complication, Gwen?" Michael questioned, making his way down the ladder that had been propped up against the home.

"We have a visitor, one that needs a vessel."

"Another angel? I thought we weren't going to make the Rez a Motel 8 for angels?" Dean said gruffly, making his own way down the ladder. "Is this one an asshole? Do we know him?"

"It's Harahel, the Keeper of Knowledge. And no, she isn't an asshole. She was a friend of Bria's, so take it down a notch or two okay? She's not used to humans."

The ladder clanked as Sam made his way down next. "You don't seem too enthused by her arrival, Gwen. Are you feeling okay?"

She shook her head at the younger hunter's concern. "It's just a headache. Turns out Bria was one of the angels that helped out Moses against Pharoah and I got hit with some nasty memories. I'll be fine."

Michael nonchalantly walked over and with one hand on the back her neck, made her follow his finger and did some basic tests that would normally be for someone with a concussion or migrane. As much as he was a fighter, he was instinctively protective too. That came from growing up with an abusive father, she was sure.

"Hey, Mike, come on man. She said she's fine." Dean spoke up.

"And how many times have you been bonded with an angel, Winchester? I know what I'm doing." Michael snapped back over his shoulder. "How bad?"

"Michael, I'm fine, honest. It's just not a pleasant memory." She said softly, thankful for the spy turned hunter's concern. "It just threw me off center a little. Makes me feel a bit ancient, out of place when I remember things from thousands of years ago."

"Now you know how Sam feels most of the time." Fiona quipped, elbowing the former Seal who simply rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go meet this Harahel." She paused. "Can we? I mean, you know without the whole head exploding thing?"

Gwen was about to speak up when Dean spoke first. "No. Hell no. Who the hell is gonna be the vessel? That never works out well! Come on Gwen, Sam almost died because of the bit of grace that Gadreel left. And we don't need you down for the count if we figure out a way to go to Purgatory. And another thing..."

"Shut up Dean." About four people said at once, oddly enough, one of them Elizabeth, who'd made her way over with Eileen.

"I can't be a vessel Dean. I'm bonded with Bria, so there's no vacancy. Let's go and I'll explain on the way." She paused at the trepidation and distrust the hunter had in his eyes. With a few exceptions, his experience with angels hadn't been good and he had to try and deal with that while working to try and save them. "Please trust me, okay? Bria trusted her and I can feel that trust. Castiel trusts her, he wouldn't endanger any of us or the Rez if he didn't."

"Could I be the vessel, Gwen?" Elizabeth asked. "I wouldn't mind the experience, it would be quite the story."

Gwen turned to the old woman and took her hands with both of hers, ignoring her headache. "No grandmother, you can't. Not everyone willing can be a vessel. You understand, don't you?" It had been sweet how the Winchester boys had all but adopted Elizabeth for their own. She'd really stepped up after Unci died and it was a show of respect to call her grandmother.

The older woman nodded with a sigh. "Was worth a shot. Bring this Harahel back though, whoever she chooses though. I would like to meet another sky spirit and hear her stories."

"We'll see."

 **Dean POV**

Dean wasn't happy at the whole situation but this wasn't his Rez and if Cas and Gwen trusted this Harahel, then he couldn't really say anything. He just didn't want to deal with any reprecussions like there had been with Gadreel. "Where is she?" He asked as they approached Cas who seemed to be alone in the field that Gwen had explained was sacred ground. He looked both out of place in his suit and trenchcoat and strangely in place being that it was Cas.

"Harahel is right here but for the sake of your eyes, she's not visible." Castiel explained before he walked over to Fiona. "Fiona, Harahel would like to speak to you. You are a born vessel but she cannot enter without your permission." He turned to Michael and Sam Axe who both were about to protest. "Just a talk, nothing will happen. She's in no danger. It's how I communicated with Jimmy Novac before he became my vessel."

"How?" Fiona asked. "I don't have Sight."

"No, you don't but if an angel chose to speak to you, you would be able to hear them without anything happening."

"Bullshit. Cas tried talking to me after he yanked me out of the pit and it nearly burst my eardrums." Dean spoke up.

"That's because you are the Michael Sword, Dean. You were born specifically to be his vessel." Gwen explained. "The only reason Gadreel was able to inhabit Sam is because he was weakened by the trials and Lucifer was in the cage. Right?"

Castiel nodded. "Exactly." He turned back to Fiona who looked rather flabbergasted that she was a born vessel. "Just close your eyes and relax and you'll be able to hear her."

"Wait a second, are you sure this is safe?" Michael asked, his eyes concerned and his brows furrowed. Dean could understand the man's hesitance. Knowing demons and monsters were real was one thing and meeting an honest angel was another but letting one take over your girlfriend? Dean had gotten used to the whole thing but the Miami group, Eileen aside, were relative newcomers.

"Michael, this is my choice. I want to do this. We don't need to talk first. I'll do it."

"Fi, this could go bad in so many ways." The former spy was gritting his teeth, his eyes pleading with his girlfriend. "You don't know what it could do to you."

"Michael, Gwen wouldn't let anything happen to me. Just think what my mother would think. She always thought I was the devil's own. Turns out, I can be the vessel of one of heaven's. Go figure."

"Surprised me, that's for sure." Sam Axe spoke up. "Mikey, if Fi wants to do it, it's her choice."

 **Sam POV**

"I don't like this. I don't like this." Michael said pacing as Castiel and Gwen attended to Fiona who had just allowed Harahel to use her as a vessel mere seconds before. There had been just the faintest cloud of light and then the small Irish woman's eyes and chest had glowed bright white as she'd gasped and then stumbled.

"I don't either but Fiona was willing and if Cas and Gwen trust this angel, then I don't think we have anything to worry about. Fiona's a tough girl, she'll force this angel out if she needs to." Sam tried to comfort the older man while Sam Axe looked on with Eileen in concern. He'd been rather touched to find that Sam Axe seemed to have taken Eileen under his wing much like a father and she adored him equally. She deserved happiness like that given how difficult her life had been made by that siren.

"Michael, Fiona is fine and wants you to stop worrying."

They both turned to see Fiona standing up but by the way she was standing as well as the bright blue coming from her eyes, they both knew that wasn't the Irish expat speaking. Sam didn't remember much of when he'd been the vessel for Gadreel beyond the gaps in his memory from when the angel took control. He was thankful he had no memory of what the angel had done in his body, especially murdering Kevin Tran. And he had little memory of when Lucifer had taken up residence beyond fighting the angel back for control and willingly falling into the Cage.

"Harahel, sister, Fiona Glenanne is alright?" Castiel touched her arm. "And you?"

"We are fine, brother." She took a breath and closed her eyes, the light fading and a soft smile taking her lips. "I have never taken a vessel before. It is a unique experience." She opened her eyes to look around with human sight before she examined her hand and took a few deep breaths. Sam guessed breathing was different for someone who never had to before. "We have much to discuss. Call forth the witch mother of the demon Crowley, it is important for her to talk with us as well."

"Wait, this is your first vessel? Then what did you do when Metatron kicked everyone out of Heaven?" Dean asked. "When the angels fell those that survived took vessels. What are you trying to pull?"

Harahel held up one of Fiona's delicate but deadly hands. "I am not pulling anything, Dean Winchester. As a Keeper of Knowledge, I am of a different class of angel and innately bound to Heaven. I could not be made to fall but instead was imprisoned in silence. Unable to speak to another or to act against the Scribe. He was..." she paused and tilted her head in apparent thought "...a douchecanoe?"

Sam snorted nearly in unison with Dean and Gwen. "I didn't think angels knew language like that."

Michael actually smiled a little. "Fi does."

Harahel looked to him and smiled. "Ah, now I understand a bit better why you spend so much time with them, brother." She moved forward and touched Michael's face. "Her feelings for you are, pleasant if not a touch overwhelming."

Michael swallowed, looking down into Fiona's face but knowing it wasn't her had to be messing with his head. Sam knew that feeling from experience thanks to all the angels, demons and so many other creatures he'd encountered in his life that could take possession of someone or disguise their appearance. "You can't keep her."

"I won't, Michael Westen. That would be selfish. I am thankful for the experience and to share it with such a unique individual."

Gwen stepped over. "Let's all sit and talk, okay?"

"Yeah let's get this meeting started."


	28. Chapter 28

**Dean POV**

Dean turned his head at the sound of someone climbing the ladder he'd propped up against the side of Gwen's house so he could get to the roof and just sit and think. It was strange how he'd come to love Three Meadows and how much it really felt like home. It felt right to walk the streets of the Rez, to be greeted warmly by it's residents and to see Baby sitting in the driveway right alongside Gwen's Harley known as Beauty.

But the trip to Purgatory was coming and everything in him was screaming not to go, not to go back. Purgatory wasn't Hell but it wasn't much better. He didn't like what it had made him do, what he was willing to do there to survive, to find Cas and then to find the portal. Now, thanks to Harahel, they were going to be able to get there safely and had a decent idea of where to go in order to find the actual Tree of Knowledge and the Codex that it contained for the book the first Annihilists they'd encountered in Arizona had had. This trip would have a mission and more than that, it would have Gwen.

And more than anything, the voice in him screaming the loudest was the one that didn't want to force Gwen to go back there, to put her in danger.

"Mind some company, Winchester?"

"Hey Eileen. You guys almost ready to go?"

She nodded as she took a seat next to him on the roof. The Miami group was due to head back to Florida after Harahel took her leave from Fiona and the Irish expat was recovered from the experience. "Yeah almost. If these Annihilists are as dangerous as they seem to be, we're going to work on getting as many trustworthy hunters as we can working to fight them and keep them distracted while you and Gwen are in Purgatory."

"You could do that from here." Dean said, making sure she could read his lips. She'd tried teaching him some sign language but the only kind he seemed to pick up on wasn't exactly conversational. "I mean, you could stay with Sam and Cas while the others go back to Miami. I know it would make Sam happy."

She smiled a little and nodded. "I know but they need me too. They are still new hunters." She shook her head. "That isn't what I came here about. I was talking to Sam, about what happened last year with The Darkness. With Amara."

Dean sighed. That was something else that was bothering him. It had been months since Arizona and Gwen still didn't know the full details of everything with Amara. He knew they needed to tell her before Purgatory. He needed to tell her. Before he asked her to risk her life and fight with him there, he had to be honest with her. But how?

"He told me everything Dean. Everything." Eileen waited until he turned his head to look at her before she continued. "Why haven't you told her yet? You need to. Before you go."

"I know Eileen. Believe me."

"Why didn't you tell her right from the start? It's been months since you met her."

"How exactly do you work that into conversation? Hi, thanks for saving us. Oh ironic thing, you know that cosmic being that killed your mother, killed your best friend and nearly killed you along with 15 other people? Yeah well we kind of let her out and had the chance to take her out but I couldn't do it because I felt a connection to her?" He threw his hands up in the air. "I'm sure that would have gone over real well."

"But waiting for months until you don't have a choice but to tell her or risk her finding out somehow else is better?" Eileen shook her head. "She's going to be angry no matter what. You didn't do those things to her and there was no way anyone knew that what they did to remove the Mark would release Amara. There were so many things that were out of your control then. This is in your control now. She deserves the truth. You know that keeping secrets never ends well."

Dean looked away to the sunset, a sunset he wouldn't see when they were in Purgatory because it was never quite day and never quite night and there was no sun, no moon and no stars. Just kill or be killed. "How do I tell her?"

"Start at the beginning and go from there. No more secrets. Full disclosure."

He sighed. If only it would be that easy.

"I don't want to do this, Sammy. She knows kung fu."

"Dean. We have to. We're asking her to trust you in Purgatory and to trust me and Cas to keep the Rez safe while you guys are gone. We can't keep her in the dark about this anymore. She's gonna be pissed and I don't blame her. If she kicks our asses, we deserve it."

"Fine. Let's go break her damn heart again." He sighed and lead the way into the house, the brothers having made the decision to finally tell Gwen the truth about everything that had happened the year before with Amara and their role in her release during a patrol of the Rez. They walked into the living room where Gwen was sitting with Castiel and Lily, the pair working together to teach the child about how to use her born gift of Sight. "Gwen, we need to talk."

"Ok, good. This gives us a teaching example for Lily. Lily, look at Dean. Really look at him. Use your special eyes, okay? Tell me what you see."

Before Dean could tell her to stop or that this wasn't the time, the child spoke. "'ean sad. 'ean sad and 'fraid. Why?"

Gwen's brow furrowed and she looked at him herself and sat back a little in confusion. "She's...right? Dean, what's going on?"

Sam stepped in then and saved him, at least momentarily. "Cas, can you pop Lily over to Shannon Wolf's house? Just for a little? This might take a while."

Dean watched as Cas realized just what they were going to be talking about and he nodded. "Wait for my return, please." He stood and easily lifted Lily into his arms. "Come little one, it's time to go see your friends." And like that, he and Lily were gone.

Gwen stood up, looking between the two brothers. "What the hell is going on? Why are you both anxious and..." She stopped, putting the heel of her hand to her forehead and closing her eyes. Dean recognized it as her way of concentrating so she didn't see things the way she normally did. She was pushing back her Sight so she saw things as they did. Putting on mental sunglasses she'd called it once. She'd probably been explaining something to Lily about auras which was why she had them "off". "Did I do something? Not do something?"

"No, Gwen. No, it's not you. It's...it's about some stuff that went down last year. You need to know it all if you're going to go to Purgatory with Dean. It's only fair."

Just then, Castiel returned. "I'm back. Gwen, please give Dean and Sam the chance to explain everything before you speak or ask questions. Alright?"

Now Gwen was the one looking nervous as she sat down on one of the sofas, folding her hands in her lap. "Just tell me, okay? You are all freaking me out."

Dean took a seat across from her with Sam while Castiel sat next to her. Dean hoped that if Gwen reacted badly, which he was pretty sure she was going to, Cas would be able to restrain her. He knew that if someone was about to tell him that they'd caused Azazel to be released, allowing the death of his parents, he'd be pissed. But to go further and tell him about a potential emotional or romantic connection? He'd want to kill them for betraying him like that. Even if they hadn't known him or known what Azazel would do.

"Okay. You know that last year were we in over our heads with the whole Darkness thing. I mean, we were right there for all of it." He took a deep breath. "What we didn't tell you were some of the finer details. It wasn't because we didn't trust you. We do trust you Gwen. It's just, it's complicated. I mean, really complicated and I didn't...we didn't want to drive you away. Okay?"

"Alright." She said hesitantly.

"Gwen, the Darkness, Amara, she's Chuck's sister. The Darkness to his Light. Everything he would create, she'd destroy. Like ying and yang, only cosmic. And it got to the point that Chuck had enough and with the archangels help, he caged her. For billions of years. That's how this universe has survived, because she was locked away and couldn't destroy it." Sam explained. "The lock to that Cage was The Mark. It wasn't the Mark of Cain then, it was Lucifer's. He was Chuck's favorite and he was given the responsibility to take the Mark and keep her locked up."

She nodded slowly, taking this in.

"The thing about the Mark and I've told you this, is that it changes you. It's primal. Like Big Bang powerful. So powerful that even an archangel couldn't resist it, the darkness and violence that came with it. Maybe because it locked away Darkness itself, I don't know. That's part of the reason Lucifer was the way he was, why he fell and why everything in the Garden and then what happened after with Cain and why he was put in the Cage."

Sam picked up the story. "To save Abel's soul from Hell, Cain volunteered to become the first demon and take the Mark. He had to kill Abel personally and he did that with the First Blade."

"Cain had the Mark for eons. I don't even know how long. He was a Knight of Hell and among his fellow knights was Abaddon. The only thing that could kill a Knight was the thing that created them. The First Blade."

"To stop Abaddon, Dean took the Mark from Cain. He didn't know, none of us knew what it would do or just how ancient and important it was. Cain tried to explain it but we didn't understand. We didn't know until later when Dean started to change and we looked for a way to remove it." Castiel added. "

Dean blew air out his nose. "I can see you adding this all up. I'm going to fast forward because you deserve that. When the Mark was removed by the spell from the Book of the Damned, it unlocked whatever it was made to lock and released The Darkness."

Gwen flinched, her eyes wide. It was breaking Dean's heart to see the confusion and the beginnings of anger in her eyes. It was about to get so much worse.

He held up his hand and kept going. "I don't know if it's because I had had the Mark or that removing it from me released her but there was a connection of a type between her and me. Even when she was in the form of a child. A baby. And when she got older, it became more." He looked down at the floor, not strong enough to be able to deal with watching her friendly hazel eyes turn to hatred. He was sure that's what was going to happen. "I can't explain it. There was a thing, a bond. Nothing ever happened. She...she wanted to destroy the universe and I don't know, absorb me. She wanted forever but I couldn't. Even with...how...yeah."

"Gwen, I think what Dean is trying to get to is that he didn't give in to Amara or their connection because he knew she was wrong, what she wanted was wrong. He fought against her, as I did and as Sam did. None of us knew what removing the Mark would truly do or what The Darkness would want. Her being locked away happened before even I was created and the truth kept from the Host." Castiel spoke softly, calmly.

Dean looked up and instantly wished he hadn't. The look in Gwen's eyes was more than just anger or betrayal. It was abject misery.

"If we knew what she was going to do we would have found some other way to remove the Mark. Dean almost killed me so Death would take him away. So he wouldn't end up murdering the world because that's what the Mark would have led to. Even if someone killed him, again, he would just return as a demon to do what the Mark wanted. It took thousands and thousands of years for Cain to begin to be able to fight the impulse. Dean didn't have that kind of time." Sam paused. "Please believe me, if any of us had known what would happen or what she would do...we didn't know."

The room was deadly silent then, no one speaking though they were all focused on Gwen at the moment. She hadn't exploded in rage or reacted at all. The silence was deafening.

"Why didn't you destroy her when she was weak? A child? You had to have had the chance." She said very quietly, without emotion.

"We did, I did. Have the chance I mean." Dean spoke, knowing his answer wasn't going to make anything better. But there was no use in not being completely honest with her, now at least. "I...I couldn't. I don't know how else to explain it. I wanted to, I did. I just...I couldn't. I wish I had. You have to know that. If I had any idea what she'd do..."

Gwen stood up suddenly and Cas moved a bit in case he needed to restrain her.

"That...thing...it killed thousands of people. Thousands. And...and you couldn't...because you had some...romantic connection to it?" Her head raised and her eyes were filled with tears, with disgust. "I almost died...so many did die...because you had a thing for that...monster?" She bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling, blinking rapidly. "And you are just telling me now?" She looked to each of them but lingered on Castiel who looked like he was physically in pain himself for being a party to her distress. "How could you?"

Dean stood and he meant to go over to her, either to hug her or give her the chance to pop him one but when he tried to move he couldn't.

Then he saw the slight glow to Gwen's eyes and the way the fingers of her right hand were splayed out by her hip. She was using the angelic grace she'd been fused with to keep him away. "Don't...don't. I...I can't..." Tears were streaming down her face.

She didn't teleport, mostly because she didn't have the ability but it seemed like it to Dean's perception until he heard the front door slam, revealing what direction she'd gone in. With her departure, he found himself able to move again and just slumped back down next to Sam. She'd been so angry she'd actively tapped into the grace that had been fused with her cells to save her life to keep him away. "Fuck."

Sam sighed after a few long minutes of miserable silence. "We knew she was going to take it badly. There was no other way for her to take it."

"I think I would have rather had her beat the shit out of me." Dean said, rubbing his face with his hands and feeling very old in that moment. "She's never going to forgive us. Forgive me. Fuck!"

"We should have told her sooner. Much sooner." Castiel said, slumped on the couch.

"Do you bloody fucking THINK?"

They all turned to see Crowley standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Not now, Crowley." Sam said turning back and closing his eyes.

"Oh I think now is the perfect time, Moose. How could you not fucking TELL HER?"

"How exactly do you think we should have done that? Oh hey, thanks for saving our lives in Arizona and by the way we inadvertantly caused the death of your mother and best friend and nearly killed you?" Dean said with frustration. Why did everyone seem to think that it was so easy to tell the truth all the time? He had agonized over how to tell Gwen, especially after he and Sam had nearly been ganked by the Annihilists. He knew from the moment he'd woken up in the Rez clinic that she'd have to be told but the final straw had been Harahel's little visit. He couldn't go into Purgatory with her with that on his soul.

"It's been MONTHS since Arizona, you fucking dolt! All that time and you didn't tell her at all?"

"I didn't see you telling her that you raised Amara, Uncle Crowley." Sam said defensively. "Did Rowena tell her about helping to heal Amara after the angel's tried to nuke her?"

The demon king's narrow lips narrowed further and Dean was sure he just saw a flash of red in the eyes of his long standing meat suit. "As a matter of fact, Moose, we did. She knew about my part with Amara before she even met you in Arizona. Mother told her not long after doing the Blessing Way to help you!"

"And she was just as angry with you both as she is with us right now." Castiel concluded.

"No, you stupid giraffe. She was angry but appreciated our honesty. I told her not long after Amara was stopped and I learned about what had happened here, what had happened to Betty's daughter." His jaw clenched. "I didn't wait for months and I'm a fucking demon."

"How did you find out about us telling her today?"

"She just called me on her cell. Asked me if I knew about your part in everything with Amara and why I didn't tell her. I told her I assumed she knew. I assumed you were men enough to tell her. I was wrong." He leveled each of them with a disgusted look before turning on his heel and leaving silently.

"Fuck." Dean groaned.


	29. Chapter 29

**Sam POV**

Sam dismounted when he saw the pony that Gwen had taken loosely tied to a nearby tree. He led his horse over and tied it to the same tree, giving it some grain he'd brought like she'd taught him. He had been learning everything he could since he was going to end up being left behind to pretty much be Gwen's stand-in while she and his brother were in Purgatory. Sure he'd have Cas and strangely enough Rowena and Crowley to help but the main responsibility was going to be his.

Was she second guessing the trust she'd put in him now that she knew the complete truth about everything with Amara and the hand they'd all had in it? It had made him think of the thousands of people she'd mentioned that had died at the hand of The Darkness. How many others had died over the years because of something they had done without thinking about the consequences? Like when he killed Lilith and released Lucifer? There was no way to know just how many lives they'd caused to end. It made him sick to his stomach.

Cas had been against seeking Gwen out, saying that she needed time to come to grips with her anger and the truth of it all. While he was probably right, Sam figured the angel just didn't want to see that look of betrayal in the eyes of the woman that was effectively his daughter like he and Dean were Bobby's sons. He remembered when Bobby had told him he never wanted to see him again for his actions in starting the apocalypse. Granted, Bobby had been possessed, but just the same, hearing the words coming from the man who'd practically been another father had hurt deeply and still bothered him.

Dean was more angry with himself, as he had a tendency to do. He'd grabbed Gwen's Protector Guides that had been sitting on the coffee table and shut himself in his room. That morning, she'd quietly brought them out and set them there, telling the three that if they wanted to read them, they could. That had been really the straw on the camel's back that had led to them sitting her down and telling her. No doubt Dean was torturing himself by reading over all the entries and comparing them to their own journals and noting all the times they could have done something to help her or had inadvertently caused whatever heartache she'd experienced.

As many times as he and his brother had been tortured, no one could torture them better than their own minds.

He stood there a moment, her back to him. In front of and around her was a burial ground of a kind, the Lakota version. Instead of actually burying the bodies, they were placed on elaborate scaffolds roughly eight to ten feet high. They were tightly wrapped almost like what he had helped do so many times for Hunter funeral pyres. What made them different from the ones he remembered reading about when he was in school was that instead of just gifts for the afterlife like a bow for hunting, food and water, he could recognize protective herbs and weapons made of silver and iron.

He stayed outside of the actual grounds that were surrounded by stones painted white with various runes and other symbols he didn't recognize though he was sure they had something to do with protection and honoring the dead. His eyes moved to the ones that Gwen was sitting among and noted that instead of a wrapped body, there were clay urns. Counting them, he closed his eyes and felt his heart break a bit more. There were 16. She was sitting among the scaffolds of Amara's victims. He remembered her telling them when they first arrived that because their souls had been taken, the Rez couldn't risk something else taking over their bodies despite all the protections Three Meadows had so they had been cremated.

Amara had gotten in, hadn't she?

He stood there in the afternoon light and wished he knew what to say. What the hell could he say? Sorry, my brother wasn't willing to kill me to appease Death before being taken away so he wouldn't be a danger to the world? Sorry, we didn't listen to the warnings just about everyone who knew about the Mark gave us? We don't think about what impact our actions have on people we've never met or forgot we met?

"Don't just stand there staring at me, Sam."

Gwen's voice was weak and scratchy sounding and he heard a sniffle telling him that many tears had been shed. How many times was this woman going to be driven to tears because of her association with them? "Can I come over there? I don't want to be disrespectful." He winced, his mind telling him that he'd already been disrespectful to Gwen and those she sat among by not telling her the truth.

"Yeah. It's alright."

He walked over carefully, making sure not to accidentally step where he shouldn't or touch something he shouldn't. He took a breath before sitting down next to her in silence. It was a beautiful place, for a burial ground, surrounded by the mountains and on a hill that overlooked the lake that fed the Rez. Sometimes it was hard to remember what they were fighting for when they were stabbing and salting and burning. He and Dean didn't have graves to visit thanks to Hunter funerals being pyres. There was a stone in Lawrence that had their parents names on it but there were no bodies. Somehow that made a difference and he didn't know why.

It was the sound of Gwen's soft sniffle reminded him why they were sitting there to begin with.

"Don't think...I would trade you for my mom." Gwen said softly after a while. "I get that part of it. It's not about that."

Sam nodded, remembering the beat down Dean had given him and trying to prepare himself for death to try and save Dean from murdering the world.

"And I don't...I don't blame you for the people who died. For what that bitch did, not just to my people but all the others. You didn't know, there was no way you could." She took a deep breath. "Even Crowley with all the resources of Hell didn't know."

"And by the time he started to figure it out, it was too late." Sam said softly.

She nodded. "Just like," Her voice choked and she closed her eyes before looking up at the scaffolds, a tear making its way down her cheek like others had before it. "It's not about that. Not really." She turned her head and looked at him not with anger but with absolute sadness. "It's been months since Arizona, Sam. Months. I've told you everything and shared my home, my people have welcomed you and helped save you. It's been months."

Sam let out a breath, feeling even more like a piece of shit. "I know. There's nothing I can say that will take that back. We should have told you right up front. That first night when we were eating fast food and telling stories in the hotel room in Arizona."

"Why didn't you trust me?"

"Gwen no, no that's not it. We trust you, we do. Believe me, we wouldn't have brought you back to the Bunker or instinctively made our way back here, back to you, after everything with the Annihilists if we didn't." He took a breath, trying to make some sense of the noise in his head. "I think we were just...afraid. I don't know."

"Afraid? You two? Right." Gwen scoffed in disbelief.

"It's been known to happen. Maybe it wasn't fear at first, more of a let's see what happens kind of thing. Later it was fear. You have to realize that we have a really really bad track record with keeping the people around us alive and in one piece. People who had completely uneventful lives until they meet us and then somehow, they end up dead as a result. And with you, you got past our defenses so fast that it became more of a fear of losing you." He shrugged, embarrassed as he ran his hand through his hair.

She was quiet for a long moment before she spoke. "Tell me about Charlie, Sam."

He almost physically flinched, his mind flashing with the grin of the bubbly redhead who had wormed her way into their hearts only to be another victim thanks to her association with the brothers. "Charlie? Umm, she was, she was the best. Went from being a computer hacker to a hunter pretty quick. Met her during the whole thing with the Leviathans." And then his mind flashed to the image that he was pretty sure was etched into his soul, finding her in that motel bathroom, hacked to pieces. He'd nearly thrown up at the sight and he hadn't done that since he'd been a kid.

"No, tell me about her. Why did she become a hunter?"

"She ran into us more than once and I guess learning there's a bigger darker world out there got under her skin. She was incredibly smart, too smart and she wanted to help people. I don't know if she really understood just how dark the world was or how much danger she was truly in. That it wasn't a game she could just reset."

"And her death?"

He sighed, shifting his legs and absently plucking at the grass. "She was trying to translate the Book of the Damned. She'd stolen it from the actual Frankenstein family and they caught up to her just as she'd managed to translate it. She had a chance to run but we wouldn't have gotten the translation. The translation we needed to figure out The Mark." He took a deep breath. "We found her not long after the Stynes did. She'd locked herself in the bathroom and managed to send the file and then destroy her tablet to prevent them from getting the information. And they...they killed her. They practically ripped her apart. There was blood everywhere."

He stopped, feeling tears coming to his eyes and knowing that Charlie had died for them, for Dean and for him. She must have been terrified and he hoped that it had been quick but considering the sick bastard her murderer had been, his hopes were probably in vain. They'd given her a Hunter's funeral and he remembered the utter hatred in Dean's voice, blaming him for her death. Dean had told them to stop looking for a way to get rid of the Mark and he hadn't listened. And she'd died. And consequently because she did succeed, they got rid of the Mark and that was why he was sitting in a Lakota burial ground with yet another young woman hurt thanks to the brothers.

"Do you think if you could speak to her that she would blame you? That she would be angry?"

Sam pushed aside those bad thoughts, that awful memory and focused more on Charlie's bubbly personality, the way she was quick to hug and the way she'd baffled a heavenly being like Castiel with one of those hugs and a declaration that they were best friends. _I really miss you Charlie._ "I don't know. I'd hope not. We didn't ask her or really encourage her to become a hunter. She chose it." He looked up at the scaffolds wondering which one was Gwen's mom and which was Angela, Briathos' vessel. Which one was Lily's mom? "Still doesn't make the guilt go away."

"We've all made mistakes. I don't think my mom ever forgave herself for my dad being attacked by that werewolf. I'm sure he knew the danger but she probably still blamed herself. And then there's what I did in The Arena. None of us are without blood on our hands. But we can't lie about it." She looked at him with those wide almost hazel eyes, only lightened thanks to the angel grace she'd be bound with to save her life. "If we aren't honest with each other, all of us, we put each of us at risk. We put the Rez at risk. Do you understand?"

He nodded. "I do. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the role we played in what happened to your people and I'm sorry we didn't just come right out and tell you. I really am."

She nodded in turn. "I know. Your aura is sick with it."

"What's the color?" He asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

"A really ugly yellow green. Completely not your color at all."

He couldn't help the little snort he only just barely held back. "But my normal caramel aura is?"

"Yep. Brings out the highlights in your hair." She stood up, took a deep breath and held out her hand to him. "Truth from here on out, deal?"

He took her hand and got up, only to pull her into his arms in a very Charlie-esque way. "Deal."

She hugged him back and he could have collapsed from the relief of it and hugged her just that much tighter in thanks. It felt like a huge weight was taken off his shoulders. "Let's not go back yet, alright? I'm not ready."

"Ok. Do you want to stay here or walk?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't even remember getting here very well." She let go of him and looked away, absently tucking hair behind her ear. "I'm tired. Just exhausted, you know?"

"I understand. Do you remember using grace?"

Her brow furrowed and she looked up at him confused. "Wait, what?"

"Back at the house, Dean got up to either hug you or give you a chance to hit him and you used Bria's grace to hold him back. To hold us all back. And then you were gone. I ended up having to track down Rowena and have her do a locator spell to find you. You don't remember?"

She shook her head and put her fingertips to her forehead. "I remember being at the stable, having to stop and calm down so I didn't spook the horses. I guess that explains a lot."

"Maybe it's a good thing. You used it without trying, like Cas has been trying to teach you."

"It's also a dangerous thing. I shouldn't be using it like that. Not against you guys, no matter how much you piss me off."

"We would deserve it in this case. Let's not worry about it right now, okay? Tell me about some of the people here. Where's Lily's mom?"

 **Dean POV**

Dean sighed as he finished another walk around the Rez, waving to a few of the defenders that he'd gotten to know while they were here. He'd been tempted to just get in the car and go to a bar and get destroyed just so his brain would shut off for a while. All he kept seeing in his head was that look in Gwen's eyes and all he could think about was what an asshole he was.

He hadn't helped his mood by going through Gwen's journals. Well, at least a few of them. Just by the dates alone he'd found at least a dozen or more times that she'd had to deal with the fall out of something caused by either himself or Sam.

As he made his way back to the house, he wondered just where Gwen had gone or if Sam had been able to find her. He didn't even know what he'd say to her when he saw her again. How could she trust him after this to have her back in Purgatory? He hated being lied to and he still had anger over his father keeping the truth about why their mother had been killed from them for nearly their whole lives and how he'd made a deal using his own life to save Dean's.

Flash forward about twelve years and he lost count of how many times he'd kept something from Sam or Sam had kept something from him. And what about all the people they'd lied to or put directly into danger?

It was giving him a headache and he considered doing another lap around the Rez when he saw that the lights were on in Gwen's house. It didn't necessarily mean it was Gwen, but there was a chance. He took a deep breath and headed toward the house. He thought about how he would have reacted if he'd been in her place. He had been with a few detail changes. He'd barely been 30 when he found out that not only was his baby brother the born vessel for fucking Lucifer but here he was, the born vessel of friggin' Michael. He remembered what a mindfuck it was when he was told only he could stop the Apocalypse.

He sighed and opened the door, more than prepared to get his ass kicked or told to leave the Rez. He didn't want to leave but if it helped Gwen deal with this whole thing, he'd go.

The sound of voices in the kitchen confused him and he found Castiel chopping up tomatoes with Elizabeth Sings in the Grass sitting at the table shucking peas and little Lily No Clouds in a high chair playing with a pod. It was kind of domestic and funny at the same time to watch someone who was effectively a celestial being that was billions of years old with an apron on and his sleeves rolled up making what Dean guessed was going to be dinner.

"'ean!" Lily declared, throwing her now uninteresting pea pod in the air upon seeing him.

"Hey kiddo. Hey Cas. Hi there beautiful." He greeted Elizabeth with a flirt he didn't really feel, his heart still in his feet because of the pain he'd helped cause Gwen.

"Don't you hi there beautiful me, boy." Elizabeth said with a surprising bit of anger in her tone. "I am very very disappointed in you. Our sky spirit Castiel told me what happened."

He let out another sigh, seemingly the only way he could breathe in the last couple hours. "Disappointed would actually be an upgrade from the utter self loathing I've been dealing with." He sat down at the table and looked at his hands for a long minute before looking up at the old woman who was simply waiting for him to speak. "We didn't mean to hurt her. I didn't mean to. How do I fix this, Liz?"

"Oh _cante skuye._ " Elizabeth began, reaching out with her old withered hands for his, the contrast striking. "It's not something you can simply fix, you know that and so does our Protector. You didn't purposely release the beast and send her to us. You had no idea what this Darkness was capable of just like The Crow didn't and The Red Witch didn't. Gwen knows this. You know what the real problem is, don't you?"

"That we weren't honest with her from the start."

" _Ya hey_ , that's right. The life of a Protector is hard enough, I should know, there have been five in my lifetime here. They deal with horrors that no one should ever have to deal with. You and your brother are the same and yet you have had it so much worse. Gwen chose to be a Protector. You and your brother were forced into all of this by forces beyond this old woman's comprehension." She gave his hands a squeeze. "But you are old enough now. The choices are yours and the effects of those choices are yours. Gwen's heart is aching, again, because of your choice. Now, you need to deal with that."

He sat there for a minute, Cas not saying a word but going for another tomato.

"You think she'll ever forgive me? Forgive us?"

"With time. She's a smart girl, our Gwen. She's had to make choices like yours too and hurt others in the process. Give her time."

Dean nodded and took a deep breath, looking to Lily who was watching him intently. "What do you think, Lily?"

"'ean good. I like 'ean lots."

That put a bit of a boost in his soul. He got up and stepped over to the toddler, orphaned because of the very being he hadn't been able to put down and pressed a kiss to her head. "I like you lots too, kiddo." Turning to Cas, he asked, "What's on the menu there, Emeril?"

Cas turned, the angel's eyes looking probably as haunted as his were. Cas was almost like Gwen's dad in a way even though he'd been forced to leave her for over 20 years and even to forget her. Dean knew that even the idea of having hurt Gwen like they had was tearing the angel apart. "I thought it would be nice to make Gwen some of her favorite food. She likes pasta and that is easy to make. I didn't have the funds when I was human to truly explore the skill of cooking. Elizabeth has been most helpful in that regard."

"Alright man, good thinking. Want some help? I'm a pretty decent cook when I have a kitchen to use."

"I would appreciate the help, Dean."

They worked side by side while Elizabeth occupied herself at the table with Lily in relative silence before Dean felt the need to say something to their resident angel. "I'm sorry, Cas. You didn't want to lie to her that first day back in Arizona and you were right. I'm going to let her know that when we see her. You didn't want to lie to her, that was my choice."

Cas paused before turning to face him. "It was but it was my choice to go along with it. We are all guilty in this situation, you cannot take all the blame."

"I agree with him, Dean. You already have so much of the world on those shoulders, do not add more weight." Liz spoke without looking up from her peas.

If only it was that easy.

 **Gwen POV**

After putting back the horses, the walk back to the house was a quiet one. Gwen was glad that Sam appreciated that she had a lot on her mind with everything she learned. Part of her for some reason wasn't that shocked. If she'd investigated, talked to hunters and did research she could have put it all together herself. Then there was the way the boys and Castiel avoided talking about the whole thing with the Darkness. She'd initially thought it was because they didn't want to bring up painful memories but she should have known better.

She could almost hear her Unci in her head teasing her about becoming soft over the pretty white men.

As much as their dishonesty hurt, she understood it in a way. How many times had she kept the truth from someone to try and protect them and how often had it backfired? How many times had she told the truth and had it backfire? She'd been lucky that growing up on the Rez and living there meant she never had to pretend to be anything but herself and a Protector. But the boys, as hunters always had to be on their guard. Hunters were often hunted themselves, not just by demons, monsters and the like but also the authorities and even the people they failed to protect.

The lights in the house were on and the Impala was still in the driveway so that told her Dean at least hadn't decided to bail. Sam had warned her that Dean had a tendency to run away from things he couldn't just punch, stab or kill, especially feelings. That didn't surprise her in the least.

As they walked up the driveway, she looked to the younger hunter who still had utter apology in his eyes. "It's alright, Sam. I'm a big girl, I can use my words."

That put a touch of a smile on his face. "Yeah, I know you can. Somehow I think that's worse sometimes. Are you sure you don't want to just knock the two of us on our asses for old time sake?"

She shook her head. "No. That's not who I am. Maybe if this happened right after everything with the Darkness I would react differently but not now. There's too much at risk." She stopped and put her hand on his arm. "You understand that even with all of this, I'm still going to trust you to take on my duties when Dean and I go to Purgatory, right? We've never, ever, put the safety of the Rez in the hands of an outsider, let alone a white hunter. What does that tell you?"

"That I need to give better than my best to help get the Rez ready for you to be gone and make sure not a blade of grass is out of place for when you get back?"

"You bet your ass, you giant _washitu_. Now come on, let's get inside."

They walked inside and at first Gwen was a bit confused. Someone, probably Castiel, had brought Lily back and even Elizabeth was there, giving the toddler a piece of cucumber from a salad her withered hands were putting together. Dean was checking on something in the oven while Castiel stood to the side, his eyes on the two pots cooking on the stove top. She could smell garlic and other spices.

"So either we're having Italian or there's a vamp nest no one told me about in the area." She announced rather than make things too awkward.

Of course Dean hadn't heard her come in and very nearly burned himself while Castiel's eyes widened in something close to panic. If it had been any other day, she'd already be laughing.

"Gwen, hey..umm, hi. Cas, he thought it'd be a good idea, you know, that you'd be hungry maybe. He's not much of a cook but he can boil water and stuff. And you had the stuff for garlic bread so I figured..."

Wow. Dean Winchester, the scourge of demons and monsters alike and the bane of most of angel kind was actually nervous. His aura was screaming his guilt and anxiety. What stood out though was that touch of hope toward his center, a small but bright white beacon.

"Dean, stop. Come on, let's go sit outside and talk. We have some time before everything is done, right Castiel?"

"Yes. There's time." The angel kept his words short but the eyes of his vessel and the way he held his wings in supplication told her everything.

"Okay. Sam will help finish up, won't you?"

"Sure. Someone's got to make sure Lily doesn't eat all the cucumbers."

The toddler laughed, unaware of the tension in the room and made a playful grab for the cucumber that Elizabeth had been slicing but stopped with the new arrivals. "Cumbers all for me!"

Gwen nodded to Dean who headed for the backdoor and moved to follow. First she stopped at the table and gave Elizabeth's shoulder a rub. "Thank you, grandmother."

"That's what we should say to you Protector, you know that." Elizabeth put her hand over hers. "Don't scare the boy too much. A little, but not too much. I got him started for you."

Gwen chuckled. "Thanks." She turned to Castiel who was trying not to be too obvious in his observation of the whole situation but was failing miserably. "Breathe, old man. It's alright."

"Child, I...I don't have the words that can express how sorry I am."

She shook her head. "I know. I can see it in your wings." She reached out and gently touched a wing that looked much better than it had in Arizona. "We'll talk after dinner okay? I promise, things are alright."

He nodded.

She headed for the backdoor, pausing a moment to watch Dean as he sat on one of the patio loungers, his elbows on his knees, hands clenched and head down. She wondered what was going through his mind and took a moment to push back the auras. This needed to be a conversation on equal ground. She opened the sliding door and closed it behind her, taking a seat on the lounger next to Dean, turned to face him instead of laying on it like she normally would have.

She was quiet. He needed to start this talk she felt, the guilt she'd seen in his aura wasn't anything new and something he carried around with him all the time. Somedays were worse than others. She knew that all too well from personal experience.

"Did...did I ever tell you about how Cas sent Sammy and me back to save our parents? Back to 1978?" Dean said finally after long minutes.

She nodded. "It's been mentioned but no big details. The angel that was Castiel's garrison superior was going to kill them to stop the Apocalypse. Annael. Michael stopped her."

Dean nodded, swallowing. "Yeah. Anna. She was...she had been someone I trusted. She'd given up Heaven, ripped out her grace and became human. She was hunted by the angels like we were." He ran his hand over his hair. "And after everything we went through, she was going to kill our mom and dad to prevent Sam from ever being born."

"I'm sure in her mind she thought she was doing the right thing. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."

Dean sighed, a reference to Star Trek not even touching his mood. "That's always been the problem, you know? The greater good. A few sacrifice and suffer and die so that billions can live on. Save the Titanic and you create 30,000 new souls. But those Winchesters were never very good at following that. I was willing to have Death fling me into the ether, just throw me where I couldn't hurt anyone with the Mark. It was taking over and after what happened to Charlie, I couldn't ask anyone else to suffer and die because of a choice I made."

He took a deep breath, his hands clenched into fists, his eyes avoiding hers.

"But Sammy, Sammy couldn't just let me go and I couldn't do the one thing Death demanded, to kill him." A scoff. "I killed Death to save my brother. I potentially doomed the world to die at my hand because I couldn't bear to end my baby brother."

"Something tells me Cain could sympathize with that. Michael too probably."

Dean nodded, finally looking up at her with pain his eyes. "Today, the look in your eyes when we told you? I've seen that look before. Too many times but one night back in 1978 in particular. When we managed to save my dad and he saw how my mom could fight, how she managed to hold her own if just for a little while against something that wasn't human. And I saw that look deepen as he learned that he didn't know his new wife at all. Not at all. All he wanted was to start a family and move on from the war. Be the dad he didn't have. Not that he ever knew the truth about his father of course."

"He didn't take it well."

"No, not at all. It wasn't that there were monsters and demons and his wife grew up hunting them. No, it was that she never told him, felt she couldn't tell him. She never lied but she didn't tell him the truth and that was what was tearing him up. I could see it. And I saw that same look in your eyes today. I didn't want to keep the truth from you Gwen, I didn't. You'd been through so much, so much because we released Amara, because I couldn't destroy her when I had the chance." His head dropped. "I failed you then and I failed you today and I'm sorry. I failed everyone she killed and everyone they left behind."

"And if you hadn't, maybe the outcome could have been much worse." She sighed, the thought having been one running through her head ever since she'd learned about The Darkness being the "sister" of the Great Spirit. "If she is the yang to the ying of the Great Spirit, destroying her, if that's even possible, could have had catastrophic results. Who knows if one of her victims would have been the next Hitler?"

Dean sighed, raising his head and looking out into the twilight. "Doesn't make up for what I did to you. Not by a long shot."

She took a breath and prepared herself to tell the man in front of her something that no one else knew except for her. Dean, I told you that when Briathos and I did the spell to expel Amara that it nearly killed me and it all but destroyed Angela as a vessel. That the only way for both Bria and myself to survive was for her to bind her grace to me." She looked up to see him watching her with confusion. This was something he knew. "That's not exactly the whole story."

An eyebrow went up. "It's not?"

"The backlash of the spell and whatever Amara tried to do to fight it, I don't remember it. I remember a wave of darkness and then I was sitting on the shore of Healing Waters. I was at peace, it was calm. I figured, I was dead and this was where my journey to the Happy Hunting Grounds would begin. I didn't fight it. I didn't want to. I'd watched my mother's soul consumed and then her head crushed against the Post Office. Somehow I knew Angela was dead because if I was there, it was doubtful even an angelic vessel could withstand whatever happened."

Dean filled in the blank. "You didn't want to live anymore."

"I didn't have a reason to. My family was dead, the Rez was in ruins and I didn't know if we'd succeeded or not. Not many Protectors end up surviving as long as I did or my mom or even Unci. I was ready." She took a breath. "Then Briathos came to me, in her true form and not Angela. She told me I wasn't dead, I was on the verge and she could save me with her grace. I told her no, I was ready to move on."

"And she told you that it was the only way both of you would survive?"

She shook her head. "No. The vessel, Angela, was gone but Briathos was alright. The only reason I hadn't been obliterated was that she'd left Angela and shielded me. She was weakened but not dying. I told her she could go on as the Protector for the Rez until Lily or someone else with Sight came along. There were other potential vessels and it wasn't like she could age or anything."

"She refused?"

Gwen looked down, remembering the calmness of those moments. She knew now that it was something Briathos created in her mind to help her keep a grip on everything but it had felt like so much more at the time. "She told me that my mother...that my mom wasn't dead. That Amara had messed with my head in the hopes of distracting me enough to stop our spell."

Dean sucked in a breath. "She said your mom was alive?"

Gwen nodded. "She said Mom was waiting for me, that the Blessing Way had begun and she needed me to come back. The only way to heal me was to be bound with angelic grace."

"Was that true?"

Another nod. "That much was true. I was much worse off than Sam was after the Trials and I know it took time for Gadreel to heal him as a vessel. I didn't have that kind of time. Bria..." she paused, actually knowing why her friend had done what she did. It was still strange to have memories and feelings of both sides of something. "Bria had just watched the antithesis of her long lost father come and lay waste to a place that had become another home for her. She'd watched Jeremiah and Ruth sacrifice themselves to try and save the Rez. And she didn't make the decision to leave Angela to protect me on her own. Angie..." She took a shaky breath. "Angie told her to go, that the Rez needed me, that it was okay."

"Gwen...I..."

She held up her hand. "What I'm trying to get to is that after all of that, after all we had been through, I had no reason not to believe Bria. I agreed to what she wanted. Do you know what her last conscious thought was before the end, before I woke up?"

He shook his head. "No, what?"

"In time, you'll understand why."

He closed his eyes. "She was apologizing for lying to you."

Gwen nodded. "I woke up and when I saw Albert Holsteen's face and not my mother's, I knew the truth. The memories rushed at me, both mine and Bria's." She wiped at her eyes, remembering how overwhelming it all was and then to realize the truth. "I woke up to find out my mother and best friend were dead along with 16 others and that Briathos had lied to me and I couldn't even confront her. I was so angry. I felt so betrayed but in time, I did understand. I wish she'd told me the truth but I know why she didn't."

Dean's hand reached out and she took it, their two loungers really not that far apart. "I'm sorry for what you went through. I was in Briathos' shoes with Sam, after the Trials. He was ready to die and I helped Gadreel, who I didn't know was Gadreel, trick him into saying yes." He shook his head. "It's strange how we hate being lied to but we are willing to lie our pants off if it means saving someone we love. You do realize that Briathos loved you, right?"

Gwen looked up, having been focused on Dean's rough hands and the way they contrasted with her own. His hands were rough and his fingers long where hers weren't quite as rough and her fingers small. "Oh I know she did. I imagine it's something like the way Castiel feels for you and Sam. She was my sister, my family. We gave her a home and a purpose she'd thought she'd lost after the wars in Heaven and then the Fall."

"Is that why you aren't kicking my ass up and down the Rez right now? I still don't get how you are sitting right here with me like this after what we did. What I did."

"Dean, you are human and so am I, well mostly anyway. Humans make mistakes. Believe me, I have vague memories of thousands of years of human history and that is one thing that never changes. But you know what else doesn't change? Most of the time, we try to make up for those mistakes. We learn. Maybe things had to happen the way they did so I would run into you boys and we'd lead the fight to save the angels."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"Listen, does it hurt that you weren't honest with me? Yes, it does. But you didn't straight out lie to me and you knew that being dishonest was a bad thing. Let's learn from it and be honest from here on out. That's why I told you the truth about Briathos. No one else knows that except the two of us. Okay? I'm trusting you with my life when we go to Purgatory and Sam with my home and my people. Don't make me second guess that trust."

He nodded, the evening light still enough to show him clenching his jaw. "I won't. We won't. I promise."

"And I should apologize to you too."

His head shot up at that, confusion all over his face. "For what? You haven't done a thing that even remotely needs an apology."

She shook her head. "No, I did. I used Bria's grace against you boys and I shouldn't have. I let my anger and hurt take over and I used that power in a way it shouldn't be and I'm sorry."

"You could have kicked our asses from here to Chicago and that would have still been something you'd never have to apologize for." He paused. "But if it bothers you that much, I accept. I'm just sorry I got you upset enough that it happened at all. It won't happen again. No more lies."

She nodded in return and stood up. "Good enough for me. Now come on, let's get some dinner and just try and relax."


End file.
